Red Sox Will Play Cardinals in World Series for the Fourth Time

Shane Victorino hit a grand slam home run in the seventh inning of Game 6 of the American League Championship Series in Boston on October 19th to give the Boston Red Sox a 5-2 lead over the Detroit Tigers, a lead that held up as the Red Sox won the game and took the ALCS four games to two.  A day earlier, the St. Louis Cardinals took advantage of Clayton Kershaws’ worst pitching performance of the season, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-0 and winning the National League Championship Series four games to two.

This will be the fourth time the Red Sox and Cardinals have faced each other in the World Series.  Here’s a brief look at the previous three.

1946

The Red Sox played in the World Series for the first time in 28 years when they played the Cardinals in 1946.  Boston won Game 1 in St. Louis, and the teams alternated winning the next five, setting up a decisive Game 7 in St. Louis.  With St. Louis leading 3-1 in the eighth inning, Cardinals starting pitcher Murry Dickson gave up base hits to the first two Red Sox batters, and departed with runners on second and third.  Dickson was replaced by Harry Brecheen, who had pitched a shutout in Game 2 and a one run complete game victory in Game 6 just two days earlier.  Brecheen struck out Wally Moses and got Johnny Pesky to line out, but Dom DiMaggio doubled home the two runners on base, tying the game.  That would be called a blown save in today’s baseball, but saves were not an official statistic until 1969.  Brecheen then got Ted Williams to pop out, ending the inning.

The Cardinals got the lead back in the bottom of the inning when Enos Slaughter scored from first base on a two out double by Harry Walker.  Brecheen pitched the ninth, giving up singles to the first two batters, but two force outs and a foul ball flyout ended the game with the tying run on third.  It was Brecheen’s third victory, and the Cardinals won the series, 4 games to 3.  Red Sox Hall of Famer Ted Williams hit just .200 with one RBI in his only World Series.

1967

The Red Sox and Cardinals met again in 1967, in Boston’s first World Series since 1946.  St. Louis took a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, but Boston won the next two setting up Game 7 in Fenway Park.

Unlike 1946, this Game 7 was never in doubt, as St. Louis took the lead in the third inning and never trailed, winning 7-2 in Bob Gibson’s third complete game victory in the series.  Gibson was named the Most Valuable Player in the World Series.  Former New York Yankee Roger Maris, who closed out his career with the Cardinals hit .385 with a homer and seven RBIs in the series, and Hall of Famer Lou Brock hit .414 with a homer, three RBIs, and seven stolen bases.  Red Sox great Carl Yastrzemski hit .400 with three homers and five RBIs. 

2004

The two teams faced each other again in 2004.  This time, the Red Sox dominated the series, sweeping the Cardinals in four games.  St. Louis batters hit just .190 off Red Sox pitching, with starters Curt Schilling, Derek Lowe, and Pedro Martinez had a combined record of 3-0 with an ERA of 0.00 in 20 innings pitched.  Boston hit .285 off of Cardinals’ pitching, led by Bill Mueller (.429), David Ortiz (.308, 1 home run, 4 RBIs) and series Most Valuable Player Manny Ramirez (.412, 1 home run, 4 RBIs).  It was the first World Series Championship for the Red Sox since 1918.

Game 1 of the 2013 World Series is October 23rd at Fenway Park in Boston,  The series will be televised by FOX with the first pitch set for 8:07 Eastern time.