Thrice is nice for the Boston Red Sox, who closed the book on their third World Series victory in as many appearances in the last 10 seasons, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 to once again reign on top of the baseball world as World Series Champions.
"Big Papi" David Ortiz carried a big stick for the Red Sox in the Series, averaging .688 (11-for-16) throughout the series against the St. Louis Cardinals with a 1.948 OPS and six runs batted in, winning the Most Valuable Player Award along with another title.
"I wasn't trying to be the guy, but I know I got to get something done to keep the line moving," said Ortiz after the game. "I don't even have to do anything today, I guess, the rest of the team took over."
Ortiz, the third oldest player to win the World Series MVP, behind Arizona Diamondback Randy Johnson and Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer Willie Stargell, batted a .760 on-base percentage and had the second-highest batting average in Series history, trailing only Billy Hatcher's marks of .800 and .750 in 1990 for Cincinnati.
Ortiz's bat was so lethal for the Red Sox, who batted .234 collectively as a team, that he was walked intentionally four times Wednesday night, three times intentionally in their Game 6 6-1 romp over the Cardinals, reaching base 19 times in 25 batting opportunities - nine straight trips at one of the series, the second-highest behind the San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds 21 times in the 2002 World Series.
"He just keeps writing new chapters," said general manager Ben Cherington. "I know great players are great, are more likely to be great in any moment but it's hard to see him in those moments and not think that there's something different about him. He's locked in. We've seen him locked in before but to do it on this stage, and do it in so many big moments, I can't add anything more to the legend that's already there, but he keeps writing more chapters on his own."
The Red Sox beat Cardinal rookie sensation Michael Wacha, who entered the game with a 4-0 playoff record and 1.00 ERA before giving up six runs in 3 2/3 innings, five hits including a home run to SS Stephen Drew in the fourth inning, and walking four batters, in the 22-year-old's short Major League Baseball career.
"I just made too many mistakes," said Wacha. "It doesn't matter how hard you're throwing if you can't locate it."
The Red Sox are a year removed from a 93-game lose season last year, firing former manager Bobby Valentine after only one season and replacing him with former Toronto manager John Farrell, who led Boston on a 28-game turnaround, finishing the year with 97-65 record, second most in franchise history since 1978, and capping it off with their first American League East title and a World Series title since 2007
"When the fireworks went off at the presentation of the trophy out there, when the ballpark was filled with smoke, it was completely surreal," said Farrell. "To be in this position, given where we've come from, reflecting back a year ago at this time, there's been a lot that's happened in 13 months."