The unpredictable 2013 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals has so far lived to its hype after splitting the first four games of their championship duel. With the pivotal Game 5 on the horizon Monday night, the Red Sox and Cardinals are expected to come up with everything they have to get one win closer towards claiming the Holy Grail of baseball.
Encore Performance By Lester?
Jon Lester proved to be the difference-maker on the mound for the Red Sox in a masterful 8-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series opener. After his terrific game, the Red Sox never had the lead again as the Cardinals took a 2-1 lead courtesy of an obstruction call in Game 3.
On Sunday, the duel between the Red Sox and Cardinals in Game 4 ended in another odd play as closer Koji Uehara picked off first-year pinch-runner Kolten Wong at first base, setting up for a pivotal match in Monday's Game 5.
With the series tied at 2-2, the Red Sox decided to bring in their most reliable hurler all season long in Lester, who is boasting a 3-1 slate this postseason with a 1.67 ERA.
"I don't know what it is. I like this stage," Lester told the press in the pre-game news conference via ESPN. "I like knowing that I've got to go out there and give everything I've got for my teammates, because tomorrow might be our last game. You don't know. I guess that just gives you that little extra focus."
Lester, who allowed five hits with eight strikeouts in 7 and 2/3 scoreless innings in Game 1, said he will continue to stay focus on his job despite being criticized by several baseball fans for allegedly putting Vaseline on his glove.
"I'm sure there's going to be focus on my glove and focus on my hands and what I'm doing, but I've got to worry about the Cardinals," Lester said. "If I'm worried about what people are looking at, I'm worried about the wrong things. I'm going to go out and pitch my game."
Adam looks to do it 'Wright' this time
As Lester tormented the Cardinals batting unit last week, starting hurler Adam Wainwright gave the Red Sox sluggers so many opportunities to inflict damage in the game.
Wainwright, who recorded a 19-9 slate with 2.94 ERA and 219 strikeouts during the regular season, is aware that he must come up with a better performance this time around or else the Cards' World Series title aspirations are very much in jeopardy.
"I honestly don't know why my mechanics were as bad as they were, my delivery was off as much as it was," Wainwright said of his first career World Series start. "But I feel like I've put a lot of good reps in in front of the mirror, and watching film and feeling my delivery again, learning the basics all over again," Wainwright told the press via ESPN.
"I feel like I've made a lot of good adjustments to be ready for this next game to throw some quality pitches. I threw maybe four or five quality pitches the whole time I was pitching. Luckily to come away with just a few runs; it could have been ten instead of five," he added.
Live Stream & Schedule
Coverage of Game 5 of the 2013 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Red Sox will begin 7:30 p.m Monday on FOX Sports. The game can be streamed online via MLB Postseason TV while Audio Streaming is available on ESPN Radio. Live Scores and Boxscores Information is available on ESPN World Series Coverage.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
