Sporting the best records in their respective leagues, the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox will meet in the 109th World Series on Wednesday, a re-match from their 2004 World Series matchup in which Boston swept St. Louis to go on and win their first title since 1918.
Pitching was a huge part of the Cardinals' (97-65) and Red Sox's (97-65) success this season. The Red Sox's starting pitching rotation ranked fourth in ERA (3.84) in the American League while the Cardinals' starters ranked second in the National League with a 3.42 ERA, leading to intriguing match-ups in this year's Fall Classic.
Latinos Post takes a look at the possible pitching matchups between the Red Sox and Cardinals as they head into Wednesday's Game 1 of the 2013 World Series:
Game 1 Starters: Cardinals' Adam Wainwright (19-9, 2.94) vs Red Sox's Jon Lester (15-8, 3.75)
Lester turned his season around, after going 9-14 finishing out last season with a 4.82 ERA. Lester has gone 2-1 with a 2.29 ERA in the postseason, giving up just five runs through 19 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, Adam Wainwright gets his first start in a World Series, having missed the Cardinals '2011 championship run, recovering from "Tommy John" surgery. Wainwright, 2-1 with a 1.57 ERA, lost his National League Championship Series (NLCS) start but allowed only two runs over seven innings.
Game 2 Probable Starters: Cardinals' Michael Wacha (4-1, 2.78) vs Red Sox's John Lackey (10-13, 3.52)
Rookie Michael Wacha has been lights-out throughout the postseason, starting Games 2 and 6 of the NLCS, not allowing a single run in 13 2/3 innings, and winning the NLCS Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Wacha is 3-0 with a minuscule 0.43 ERA in the playoffs, including flirting with a no-hitter against Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Division Series (NLDS). Lackey, who has pitched well during the playoffs, going 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA, struggled throughout the season but has pitched well at home, going 6-3 at Fenway Park with a 2.47 ERA during the regular season, which may lead to the Red Sox' decision to start Lackey at home.
Game 3 Probable Starters: Cardinals' Joe Kelly (10-5, 2.69 ERA) vs Red Sox's Clay Buchholz (12-1, 1.74 ERA)
Buchholz has struggled in the playoffs with three no-decisions and a 5.40 ERA in the postseason, failing to go deep into games, including allowing five runs in 5 2/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS). Joe Kelly had two good outings to start off the playoffs, before running into trouble in the Game 5, losing to the Dodgers, giving up four runs and seven hits in five innings, and going 0-1 with an ERA of 4.41 in the postseason.
Game 4 Probable Starter: Cardinals' Lance Lynn (15-10, 3.97 ERA) vs Red Sox's Jake Peavy (12-5, 4.17 ERA)
Jake Peavy, the 2007 National League Cy Young award winner whom Boston acquired in a mid-season trade, has struggled in past playoff appearances, most recently in the ACLS against the Tigers, giving up five runs in the second inning of Game 4 against the Tigers, seven total in three innings work. Lynn pitched well in Game 4 of the NLCS, working 5 1/3 innings, surrendering only two runs on six hits and three walks, and striking out five for the Game 4 victory over the Dodgers, going 2-1 with an ERA of 5.40 for the postseason.
Bullpen
The Cardinals' trio of Randy Choate, Carlos Martinez and Trevor Rosenthal have been solid, allowing just three hits in a combined 11 2/3 innings. Over the playoffs, the Cardinals' bullpen has a 1.80 ERA and a .177 batting average against, with Rosenthal pitching seven innings, allowing three hits, two walks, no runs and eight strikeouts to go with three saves.
But ALCS MVP Koji Uehara has been phenomenal, becoming the first closer to win the award since Mariano Rivera in 2003. Uehara earned three saves in the ALCS over six scoreless innings allowing only four hits, no walks, and striking out nine. The Boston bullpen as a whole has been outstanding, holding batters to a .209 batting average against, with an ERA of 0.84 ERA, and 28 strikeouts in 32 innings of relief this postseason, giving the Red Sox a distinct advantage this postseason.