Red Sox overpower Rockies 13-1 in Game 1...

[SL-10]

Red Sox overpower Rockies 13-1 in Game 1

By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer 43 minutes ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071025/ap_on_sp_ba_ga_su/bbo_world_series;_ylt=AvdIsXET2P99FhpRKz56Uqk5.3QA

BOSTON - Josh Beckett, Dustin Pedroia and the Boston Red Sox were revved up and ready. Not so the Colorado Rockies, who lurched into Beantown with all the zip of a creaky old stagecoach. Back in the World Series with no Bambino's curse to worry about, the Red Sox flattened the Rockies 13-1 in Wednesday night's opener.

Beckett got off to the most overpowering start since Sandy Koufax, Pedroia became only the second player to lead off the Series with a home run, and then a relentless offense led by Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz racked up hit after hit.

"Not sure what the final score was," Colorado's Todd Helton said, "but we were a little rusty."

Despite the lopsided score there was no boasting from Boston.

"I executed just enough pitches today to survive," Beckett said. "That's a good lineup over there. You can tell how hungry they are."

Boston set a record for runs and victory margin in an opener and finished with 17 hits, becoming the first club with eight doubles in a Series game since 1925. After taking a 6-1 lead against Colorado ace Jeff Francis, the Red Sox piled on seven runs in the fifth, when Rockies reliever Ryan Speier walked three straight batters with the bases loaded — the first time that ever happened in the Series.

Make no mistake, these Red Sox are slick, and not just because of an on-and-off drizzle that seemed to dampen the noise from 36,733 fans in Fenway Park. Counting their comeback from a 3-1 deficit against Cleveland in the AL championship series, the Red Sox have outscored opponents 43-6 in their last four games. In the first five innings against Colorado, the Red Sox were 11-for-15 (.733) when batting with two outs.

"We definitely had a lot of momentum going," said Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who doubled twice. "Our motto is always early and often."

Colorado has the altitude — the series shifts to mile-high Coors Field this weekend — and had won 21 of 22 coming in. But after a record eight days off, the Rockies looked like a team starting spring training. Just four batters in and trailing by only a run, the Rockies moved their infield in.

"That's not the way we drew it up," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said.

Boston showed the veteran attitude and stretched a Red Sox Series winning streak to five for the first time since 1915-16. While the Rockies lined up for the introductions on the foul side of the third-base line, looking every bit the World Series rookies they are, the Red Sox stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the infield side, knowing they belonged.

With stubble on his upper lip and a hint of a soul patch on his chin, the 27-year-old Beckett pitched in the manner of a young Roger Clemens. Coming off his ALCS MVP, the 2003 World Series MVP blew away the Rockies with 95-97 mph fastballs the first time through the order, then started mixing in a 77 mph curve.

Beckett allowed six hits in seven innings, struck out nine and walked one, improving to 4-0 with a 1.20 ERA in the postseason this year.

"We're not done and he's not done," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

Pitching on 12 days' rest, Francis fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and was finished after four, giving up six runs and 10 hits. Colorado, which had matched the 1976 Cincinnati Big Red Machine by sweeping its first seven postseason games, lost for just the second time since Sept. 15. The Rockies allowed just eight runs in their sweep of Arizona in the NL championship series and gave up nearly twice that in five innings.

"We're not worried about a layoff," Francis said. "We didn't execute."

Boston tries to make it 2-0 Thursday night when Curt Schilling, 10-2 in postseason play, pitches against rookie Ubaldo Jimenez. The winner of the opener has gone on to win nine of the last 10 World Series and 62 of 102 overall. While the 1959 Chicago White Sox and 1996 Atlanta Braves both won their openers by 11 runs, they went on to lose the Series.

"This is a tough series and a tough team," Youkilis said. "There's a reason why they're here."

It was looking a lot more like March than October by the late innings. Boston brought out bench players, the Rockies rotated relievers and some fans headed home early.

Beckett began by fanning Willy Taveras, Kaz Matsui, Matt Holliday and Helton, becoming the first pitcher to strike out the first four batters in a Series game since Koufax got five Yankees to start the 1963 Series, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. And what a five those were: Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson, Tom Tresh, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.

Boston's batters started right where they left off in Series play. When the Red Sox completed their sweep of St. Louis in 2004, leadoff man Johnny Damon homered on Jason Marquis' fourth pitch.

Pedroia sent Francis' second offering over the Green Monster in left. The only other player to homer starting a Series was Baltimore's Don Buford against Tom Seaver and the 1969 Miracle Mets. When Colorado moved the infield in with a runner on third, Ramirez singled over Troy Tulowitzki — who might have caught the ball had he been playing back at the normal shortstop position. J.D. Drew's double made it 3-0.

Tulowitzki doubled in a run in the second, but Ortiz had an opposite-field RBI double in the bottom half — a ball that went just over Tulowitzki and rolled to the wall. Varitek's two-run double made it 6-1 in the fourth, and the rout was on.

"It's a big loss, Game 1 of the World Series," Helton said. "But knowing the heart of this team, we'll come back tomorrow."

Notes:@ With 64 postseason RBIs, Ramirez moved ahead of David Justice for second all-time behind Bernie Williams (80). ... The 12 combined doubles were a Series record. ... The 1932 New York Yankees and 1996 Braves scored 12 runs each in their openers. ... The 1906 Chicago White Sox and 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates also had eight doubles. ... Franklin Morales got just two outs and was charged with seven runs for a 94.50 Series ERA. He was called for the first Series balk since David Weathers of the Yankees in 1996.

[NINO63004]

this game was a blow out. i want Boston to win but i want to see a good game not a blow out.



Nino

[Guy]

Hmm...time to get out the brooms yet??

[SL-10]

this game was a blow out. i want Boston to win but i want to see a good game not a blow out.



Nino

:ohcrap: :bawl:

[Tomas]

I'm not locked into either team, but I'd rather Denver win than Boston. I'd at LEAST like to see some well played, well matched games.

(It's been a loooong time since I lived in Denver.)

Tom

[some18mybrain]

Looks like this might be a LOOOONG series for Colorado...

[Lee]

Yeah, I like the line I heard an announcer use...

"The only positive for the Rockies was that the game ended"

[kulnet]

I turned it off when it got to 5 to 1. I knew they weren't coming back. I look for game 2 to be a lot better.

[Mahee]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b301/Mahee/Sprint/SSPX0059.jpg

GO SOX!!
(Sox in 5!!)

[-Drifter-]

Go Sox!!

[tbakergobuck]

Maybe if the Rockies had another 90 million to match Bostons payroll it might be a series. j/k well kinda lol

[NINO63004]

yeh the payroll thing is a good point but i dont think anyone expected the rockies were going to play that poorly. like i said before i want Boston to win but i want to see a good series on top of it.


Nino

[Studintx]

I'm still rootin for the Rockies, because if they pull it off it will truly be a miracle story

[SL-10]

Schilling, Red Sox take 2-0 Series lead

By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP Baseball Writer 12 minutes ago

BOSTON - First a blowout, then a nail-biter. October ace Curt Schilling and Boston's stingy bullpen figured out another way to stop Colorado. Relying more on guile than pure gas, Schilling pitched the Red Sox to a 2-1 victory Thursday night and a 2-0 lead in the World Series over the suddenly stagnant Rockies.

Mike Lowell hit a tiebreaking double in the fifth and the Red Sox got 3 2-3 innings of shutout relief from Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon to win their sixth straight Series game, including a sweep of St. Louis in 2004.

"This was the Pap-ajima show tonight," Schilling said. "That was just phenomenal to watch."

The victory in '04 ended an 86-year title drought and set off a wild winter of celebrations all over New England. Two more wins this year and the party's on again.

The Series shifts to spacious Coors Field for Game 3 on Saturday night, when $103 million rookie Daisuke Matsuzaka pitches for Boston against Josh Fogg.

"Our hometown crowd is probably looking forward to this as much as anything in a long time," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We could use the support."

With no designated hitter allowed, the Red Sox must decide whether to play hobbling slugger David Ortiz at first base or leave his mighty bat on the bench.

If they keep getting this kind of pitching, it might not matter.

One night after Josh Beckett blazed through the Rockies with 97 mph fastballs in a 13-1 rout, Schilling shut them down with savvy and splitters.

Nearly automatic in October, he improved to 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA in 19 postseason starts and tipped his cap to the pulsing crowd as he walked off the mound — perhaps for the final time in a Red Sox uniform.

His fastball hovering around 87 mph, Schilling held punchless Colorado in check for 5 1-3 innings and became the second 40-year-old starter to win a World Series game. Detroit's Kenny Rogers did it last year against the Cardinals.

Coming off eight days of rest, the wide-eyed Rockies looked awfully rusty while getting blitzed in the opener. They hardly resembled the team that had won 10 straight and 21 of 22 to earn the first pennant in its 15-year history.

Colorado came to play in Game 2. But Boston's pitchers were too much for an offense that really hasn't hit all month. The Rockies' incredible charge to the World Series masked this fact: they came into Thursday batting only .235 in the postseason.

Okajima entered with two on in the sixth and Boston leading 2-1. He retired Garrett Atkins on a grounder and struck out Brad Hawpe to squash the threat.

There was more to come. The rookie left-hander from Japan fanned three straight before he was pulled for Papelbon with two outs in the eighth.

"His command was spectacular, and that set up the whole game," Boston manager Terry Francona said of Okajima.

Matt Holliday spun Papelbon off his feet with a shot up the middle for his fourth hit. But the closer got even when he left the NLCS MVP sprawled in the dirt at first base with his first career pickoff.

"They gave me the (sign) from the dugout," Papelbon said. "I kind of just held the ball for a second, got relaxed and did a nice easy pick over there. I don't know if he was going or what."

Papelbon finished up in the ninth, securing Schilling's third win in four starts this postseason and his second save. He and Okajima have combined for 17 1-3 scoreless innings in October.

With two outs in the fifth, Ortiz walked and Manny Ramirez singled before Lowell pulled a 2-1 pitch from losing pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez down the left-field line for a 2-1 Red Sox lead.

Boston loaded the bases, but Matt Herges retired Jason Varitek on an easy fly ball to end the inning.

The Red Sox won their previous four games by a combined score of 43-6 and became the first team in postseason history to put up double-digit run totals in three straight.

But with a bright autumn moon hanging high behind the right-field grandstand, Jimenez seemed to have the Red Sox spooked early on.

A hesitation in his windup, cap tilted slightly to the side, the 23-year-old rookie held Boston hitless for three innings with an array of 96 mph fastballs and sharp sliders. He stayed poised, too, calmly taking time to gather himself behind the mound as Boston's big boppers stepped in.

Jimenez walked two in the third and Ortiz took a shot at Pesky's Pole, barely missing a three-run homer on a drive that curled just foul. Tied up on a tough slider, Ortiz later fanned for the third out.

But the patient Red Sox started to wear down Jimenez, laying off balls and driving his pitch count up. Soon, they broke through.

Lowell walked with one out in the fourth and J.D. Drew singled to right for Boston's first hit. Lowell aggressively turned for third and, with a headfirst slide, beat a long throw from strong-armed Hawpe that was just off line.

Varitek's sacrifice fly tied it at 1. Jacoby Ellsbury drew a walk and stole second, but Jimenez retired Julio Lugo with runners at second and third to end the inning.

Schilling settled in after allowing a run in the first. Twenty days shy of his 41st birthday, he got an inning-ending double play in the second and struck out two in the third. He put the leadoff batter on in the next two innings, but pitched out of trouble.

The Rockies flashed their speed in the first, one key element that sent them on that incredible surge into the Series.

Schilling hit Willy Taveras on the left hand with a 1-2 pitch and he raced to third when Holliday's single deflected off the glove of a diving Lowell at third.

Helton's RBI groundout put Colorado ahead.

Notes:@ Matsuzaka left for Denver about 5 p.m in preparation for Game 3. ... Of the 50 previous teams that took a 2-0 lead in the World Series, 39 went on to win — including six straight and 12 of the last 13. ... Okajima became the first Japanese-born pitcher to play in a World Series game. He struck out four, including former Japanese star Kaz Matsui. ... Jimenez had a 1.59 ERA in two playoff starts. ... James Taylor, a lifelong Red Sox fan, sang the national anthem.

[DJRider]

Lets go Rockies! I'm not blaming the payroll, if the payroll was responsible for the Red Sox win then they wouldn't be there. If the payroll was the cause then the Mets and Yankees would be in the World Series right now,,,,and every year.
Go Rockies! And please no brooms, lets get this thing to 7 games!

[tbakergobuck]

Boston has 2 of the best pitchers in the MLB and almost everyone 1-9 can hit a home run at anytime. I highly doubt Boston does as good as there doing if they had a average payroll. One of the reasons why the Yankess didn't do anything in the playoffs is because they invested in the wrong players. 70 million of the Yankees payroll choked or wasn't even a factor (A-Rod, Giambi, Clemons). Not sure what happened to the Mets other then self destructing down the stretch of the regular season.

[DJRider]

Boston has 2 of the best pitchers in the MLB and almost everyone 1-9 can hit a home run at anytime. I highly doubt Boston does as good as there doing if they had a average payroll. One of the reasons why the Yankess didn't do anything in the playoffs is because they invested in the wrong players. 70 million of the Yankees payroll choked or wasn't even a factor (A-Rod, Giambi, Clemons). Not sure what happened to the Mets other then self destructing down the stretch of the regular season.

I agree wholeheartedly....its not how much ya spend, its who ya spend it on! :tu:

[Mahee]

.....
Go Rockies! And please no brooms, lets get this thing to 7 games!

Uhmmm...I change my original "Sox in 5" to "Sox in 6" so we can celebrate at FENWAY!!:::waiting (not so patiently) for 8 pm tonight:::GO SOX!!

[SL-10]

Dice-K leads Sox to 10-5 win, 3-0 lead

By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer 19 minutes ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071028/ap_on_sp_ba_ga_su/bbo_world_series;_ylt=Ava0Jf_PRlTb7QHrmxXcHyKs0NUE

DENVER - Mile high or sea level, these Boston Red Sox can't be stopped.

The Red Sox made Coors Field their own pinball palace, spraying balls to every part of the park and moving within one win of another World Series sweep.

On a night when rookies ruled, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia sparked the Red Sox from the top of the order, Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and Boston beat Colorado 10-5 on Saturday for a 3-0 Series lead.

Still, the Red Sox weren't quite ready to celebrate.

"We don't want to eat the cake before your birthday," Manny Ramirez said.

Ellsbury became the first rookie in 61 years with four hits in a Series game, getting three of Boston's seven doubles. Pedroia had three hits, including a bunt single that helped spark a six-run third against Josh Fogg, who allowed 12 of 19 batters to reach.

Colorado was down 6-0 in the third and seemingly out but came back with two runs in the sixth. The Rockies then closed to 6-5 when Matt Holliday hit a three-run homer in the seventh on Hideki Okajima's first pitch.

"It looked like we were hanging on for dear life," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

But the Rockies' chance to get back into the World Series vanished into Coors Field's thin air.

Ellsbury lofted an RBI double down the right-field line off Brian Fuentes in the eighth that just eluded Brad Hawpe's attempt at a sliding, backhand catch, and Pedroia followed with a two-run double to right that made it 9-5. Jason Varitek added a sacrifice fly in the ninth of a game that took 4 hours, 19 minutes — the longest nine-inning game in Series history.

"We got a little comfortable," Ellsbury said. "It was big to respond after their big inning."

It was a night that resembled Coors' pre-humidifier days, when it was baseball's premier launching pad.

"With their offense, no lead is safe," Pedroia said.

On Oct. 27 three years ago at old Busch Stadium, the Red Sox completed a sweep of St. Louis for their first World Series title in 86 years. Having won seven straight Series games for the first time in franchise history, Boston will try for its seventh championship Sunday. Jon Lester starts for the Red Sox against Aaron Cook in a matchup of pitchers who made it back to the majors after major medical problems.

The 22 previous teams that took a 3-0 World Series lead all went on to win, 19 with sweeps.

"It looks like we're in groundbreaking territory," Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said.

If the Rockies are the National League's best, the senior circuit has a lot of catching up to do. Maybe it is the rust of a record eight-day layoff for the Rockies, or maybe the Red Sox really are a league above.

Colorado has been outscored 25-7 and is batting just .222. Boston's batters have been bruisers, hitting .352 in the Series with 16 doubles. The Rockies were the talk of baseball with 21 wins in 22 games coming into the Series, but they've gone into reverse, looking more like the fourth-place team they were in mid-September.

"After 21 of 22, four games doesn't seem like a whole lot," Fuentes said.

Boston has won six straight since falling behind Cleveland 3-1 in the AL championship series. While the Yankees owned the 20th century, the Red Sox are one win from becoming the first team to win two titles in the 21st.

"We have to continue our focus the same way," Varitek said.

Francona, the first manager to start 7-0 in Series history, made all the right moves. Ellsbury, who hit ninth in the opener and No. 8 in Game 2, moved to the top of the order and became only the third rookie with four hits in a Series game, following Freddie Lindstrom in 1924 and Joe Garagiola in 1946. David Ortiz, kept in the lineup despite the loss of the designated hitter in the NL city, doubled in the first run and flawlessly handled both his chances at first base before Kevin Youkilis replaced him in the bottom of the sixth.

Hurdle also made some moves. He benched center fielder Willy Taveras, started Cory Sullivan in center, moved Kaz Matsui — Dice-K's old Seibu teammate — to leadoff and batted Troy Tulowitzki second.

Matsuzaka, the first Japanese pitcher to win a World Series game, was worth every penny of the $103 million the Red Sox spent to lure him last winter. He pitched shutout ball into the sixth and wound up allowing two runs and three hits in 5 1-3 innings. He also drove in two runs with his first big league hit.

Matsuzaka left after consecutive walks with one out in the sixth, and Javier Lopez allowed consecutive RBI singles to Hawpe and Yorvit Torrealba that made it 6-2. Mike Timlin escaped when pinch-hitter Ryan Spilborghs flied to the center-field warning track and Jeff Baker, another pinch hitter, lined to leaping shortstop Julio Lugo.

Holliday had Rockies fans thinking comeback with his home run into the Rockpile, which ended a streak of 17 1-3 scoreless innings in the postseason for Okajima and closer Jonathan Papelbon. Todd Helton followed with a single, but Okajima recovered to strike out Garrett Atkins and Hawpe, then retired Torrealba on a comebacker. Papelbon retired Holliday on a flyout to left with two outs in the eighth and finished for his second save of the Series.

Boston's burst in the third had quieted the crowd of 49,983. Ortiz doubled to put Boston ahead, Mike Lowell's single up the middle made it 3-0 and Varitek hit a one-out single to left, where Holliday made a strong throw home to just catch Ramirez — who signaled himself safe as umpire Ted Barrett called him out. Matsuzaka's single made it 5-0 lead and Ellsbury drove in another run with his second double of the inning.

Rockies relievers retired 14 of the next 15. But it turned out the six runs were enough.

After the close call, Boston isn't thinking party, not just yet.

"These guys won 20 out of 21 and now have lost three in a row," Youkilis said. "You can't look at the past."

Notes:@ Lester overcame lymphoma, while Cook came back from a blood clot. ... Before Saturday, the highest altitude for a Series game was 1,117 feet in Phoenix. ... Arizona's Matt Williams doubled twice in an inning against the Yankees in Game 6 in 2001. ... Matsuzaka became the first pitcher to drive in runs in the Series since Florida's Brad Penny had two RBIs against the Yankees in Game 5 in 2003.

[some18mybrain]

Oh well...guess I can concentrate all my effort on football now.....

[kulnet]

Yep. Get out the brooms people.

[Mahee]

Uhmmm...I change my original "Sox in 5" to "Sox in 6" so we can celebrate at FENWAY!!:::waiting (not so patiently) for 8 pm tonight:::GO SOX!!


Ok, so I'm gonna change my mind again (o/ o/ it's my prerogative o/ o/ la-la-la) ~ ~ let's get this thing done TONIGHT!! ~ ~ I'm ready to see an oh-so-sweet SWEEP!!:::waiting (not so patiently) for 8 pm tonight:::GO SOX!!

[SL-10]

Yep. Get out the brooms people.

Dam Rockies can't at least win one game??!?!? :frustrate

[Mahee]

Oooooohhhhhhh......watching the pre-game show now ~ ~ settling in for

THE GAME!!

LET'S GOOOOO RED SOX!!

[NINO63004]

it looks dirty out. time to get the brooms out. SWEEEEEPPPPPP!!!!!




Nino

[Mahee]

4 - 1 Sox - - Ohhhhhhh Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!

[SL-10]

Score is 4-3 now. Still have broom ready tho. :(

[NINO63004]

Sweep it up!!!




Nino

[SL-10]

Congrats to the Red Socks for their win. *starts sweeping Rockies off the field*. :(

[Studintx]

its over :( decent attempt from the Rockies but it just wasn't enough...

[Mahee]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Now I'm waiting for the Parade!!

[Wayne 1]

Impressive!



:rocking::wow::tu:

[olddog]

Great series. For Sox fans that is! Now on to football.

[some18mybrain]

Wow.....for a team as hot as the Rockies to go from sweeping both of their opponents in the post season, to getting swept in the World Series......I have to give props to the Red Sox for winning. Coming from a Yankee Fan, that's a lot.

[donblay]

http://www.dbringers.info/images/hFNrjm.jpg [URL="http://www.dbringers.info/previewimage.php?imagefile=images/SPsr68.jpg"]
http://www.dbringers.info/images/SPsr68.jpg
(http://www.dbringers.info/previewimage.php?imagefile=images/hFNrjm.jpg)
http://www.dbringers.info/images/BXU81D.jpg
(http://www.dbringers.info/previewimage.php?imagefile=images/BXU81D.jpg)
http://www.dbringers.info/images/GW2gGX.jpg
(http://www.dbringers.info/previewimage.php?imagefile=images/GW2gGX.jpg)

[SingSongBird]

How did the Rockies make it that far... were they overwhelmed and just couldn't get it together... That was soooo sad.

[some18mybrain]

How did the Rockies make it that far... were they overwhelmed and just couldn't get it together... That was soooo sad.

I think that 8 day break was a little too long....gave too much time for them to cool down....plus...the National League teams weren't as much of a challenge as the Red Sox. They would have had a better chance against the Indians...if they hadn't choked...LOL. And I'm not saying that to be mean...as a Yankee fan, I know very well what it means for your team to choke :)

[SingSongBird]

I don't even really like baseball and I was crushed for them *moment of silence*






Now bring on the NBA.... :headbang2

[SL-10]

Well, there is always next year... ;)

[some18mybrain]

Us Yankee fans have been saying that for the last 7 years...LOL

[Mahee]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b301/Mahee/SSPX0060.jpg

Together for the first time on the stage at Fenway - Pre-parade show. Players are boarding the duckboats - Daughter and friends there, totally PSYCHED!! - Mom home recording on TV (LOL) - LET THE PARADE BEGIN!!

Another Great Day for RED SOX NATION!!