Game three of the 2013 Fall Classic had one of the craziest ending you will ever seen. You know, as a sports fan, I rank it right up their with The Play (Band on the field) from Cal and Stanford in 1982, and Mookie Wilson's grounder through Bill Buckner's legs. These were wild finishes, I'll tell ya! Maybe for me, Devon White's catch off Dave Justice and the near triple play they got. But still, that wasn't the ending to game.
The Boston Red Sox were in another Fall Classic against the St. Louis Cardinals. For the record, they've met in 1946, 1967, 2004 and 2013. They've had some moments. And while 2004 was a sweep for the Sox, it doesn't mean it wasn't memorable. It did three things: 1) It nenewed the rivalry 2) It broke the 86-year Red Sox World Series drought 3) The Cardinals and Red Sox began their tradition of postseason success.
Indeed, don't feel sorry for the Cards. While they were only there for four games in 2004, St. Louis made sure to win it all in 2006 over Detroit. In the process, they gained some sweet revenge for what had happened against the Tigers in 1968. This time, they got ahead three games to one, and won game five. The Cards weren't about to stop making it to the Fall Classic.
Down to their last strike twice in 2011, St. Louis charged back to win against Texas. That proved to be the last World Series for Tony La Russa, and it was fitting he went out a winner. But again, October would continue to beckon the Cards. Two years later, under new manager Mike Matheny, St. Louis was back to face Boston, and ready to avenge the sweep from 2004. All Matheny has done has carry on the tradition of Cardinal success. In three seasons in Cardinal land, 88, 97, and 90 games.
Boston, meanwhile, won the World Series again in 2007, and again it was a sweep. But against the Cards six years later, there would be no sweep.
However, Boston was determine to administer another four-game drubbing. In game one at Fenway, it was all Red Sox. It was 5-0 after two, 7-0 after seven, and 8-0 after eight. The final score was 8-1 Red Sox. The Cards needed game two for the split.
It didn't look too promising. The Cardinals scored the first run of the game in the top of the fourth, but the Red Sox tallied twice in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead. St. Louis dug deep to score three times the next inning. Matt Carpenter tied it with a sac fly, and on the same play, the Red Sox somehow made two errors, allowing St. Louis to take the lead. Before Boston could recover from that, Carlos Beltran singled to make it 4-2. The Cards hung on to send it home all tied at one game each.
In game three, it seemed like St. Louis could not break free of Boston nipping at their heels. The Cards touched home twice in the bottom of the first one a single, a bunt, and three more singles. The Red Sox came back with a run in the top of the fifth and another the next inning. Matt Holliday then stepped into the hero's role with a single in the bottom of the seventh to score Carpenter and Beltran. It was 4-2, St. Louis. Was Boston done for the night?
Not quite.
The first two batters reached in the top of the eighth. A bunt moved the tying run to second. David Ortiz was the batter, and St. Louis walked him. Daniel Nava was retired on a ground ball, but it scored a run. 4-3, St. Louis. Xander Bogaerts followed with a single, and it was all tied at four.
St. Louis did not score in the bottom of the frame, and Trevor Rosenthal retired Boston 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth. That set the stage for an amazing finish. Were do I begin, where do I end.
I start with Matt Adams striking out for the third time in the game. But Yadier Molina singled for the third time on this night. The sent Boston pitcher Brandon Workman to work on the showers. Rosenthal was the next scheduled hitter.
Kogi Uehara, the Red Sox closer with 21 saves was on the hill. He posted a 4-1 record to go along with that, and an ERA of just 1.09. The first batter he would face was a pinch hitter.
It turned out to be Allen Craig. First pitch to Craig, he hit a clutch double down the left field line. The winning run was ninety feet away. No chance for a double play, no outs. Would the Red Sox pitch to Jon Jay?
Boston decided to. They moved their infield in to cut down Molina at the dish. Jay was pitched to! On the second pitch of the at-bat, he sent a grounder to second which Yadier headed home on. Huh? Dustin Pedroia saw all this, and rifled it home to nail him for the second out. Boston had a huge out, but seconds later, it didn't matter.
Craig, waited, started, then hesitated and headed towards third on the play. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, having just made the putout, looked right towards third and tried to nail Craig. The throw never made it there, however. It went wide to the right of third, and into the outfield. Allen hustled on home. Before he could get there, he was tripped up by Will Middelbrooks. The throw hit Middelbrooks and ended up going to foul territory. Daniel Nava was right there and gunned it to home, seemingly getting Craig as Saltalamacchia slapped on the tag.
Home plate umpire Dan DeMuth motioned towards third base umpire Jim Joyce. Joyce had motioned towards the play between runner and third basemen, thus meaning obstruction. Craig had touched third base legally, and was awarded another base, winning the game for the Cardinals!
It was the first time in Fall Classic history that a game had ended on an obstruction call. St. Louis had a two games to one edge. Alas, Boston came back and won the next three games. No matter. This game was going to be talked about for years.
Boston and St. Louis have always put on a show. There always seems to be something at stake when the two teams meet. It's 1946, and it's Ted Williams vs. Stan Musial (But that was a bit of a flop for both of them, eh?). It's 1967 and it's Bob Gibson's pitching, Lou Brock's speed vs. Yaz's bat and Lonborg's pitching. It's 2004, and Boston is trying to end The Curse. And it's 2013, and it's St. Louis with eighth Fall Classic's (The most of any National League team at the time, although San Francisco has since tied them) and Boston with six, so they are trying to close or widen the gap for Fall Classic triumphs. And, also you're trying to wrap your head around what you've just witnessed in game three...And explaining it...Well...
References
“The Official Site Of Major League Baseball.” MLB.com, Major League Baseball. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. www.mlb.com/.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org>.
Youtube. Youtube. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/>.
The Boston Red Sox were in another Fall Classic against the St. Louis Cardinals. For the record, they've met in 1946, 1967, 2004 and 2013. They've had some moments. And while 2004 was a sweep for the Sox, it doesn't mean it wasn't memorable. It did three things: 1) It nenewed the rivalry 2) It broke the 86-year Red Sox World Series drought 3) The Cardinals and Red Sox began their tradition of postseason success.
Indeed, don't feel sorry for the Cards. While they were only there for four games in 2004, St. Louis made sure to win it all in 2006 over Detroit. In the process, they gained some sweet revenge for what had happened against the Tigers in 1968. This time, they got ahead three games to one, and won game five. The Cards weren't about to stop making it to the Fall Classic.
Down to their last strike twice in 2011, St. Louis charged back to win against Texas. That proved to be the last World Series for Tony La Russa, and it was fitting he went out a winner. But again, October would continue to beckon the Cards. Two years later, under new manager Mike Matheny, St. Louis was back to face Boston, and ready to avenge the sweep from 2004. All Matheny has done has carry on the tradition of Cardinal success. In three seasons in Cardinal land, 88, 97, and 90 games.
Boston, meanwhile, won the World Series again in 2007, and again it was a sweep. But against the Cards six years later, there would be no sweep.
However, Boston was determine to administer another four-game drubbing. In game one at Fenway, it was all Red Sox. It was 5-0 after two, 7-0 after seven, and 8-0 after eight. The final score was 8-1 Red Sox. The Cards needed game two for the split.
It didn't look too promising. The Cardinals scored the first run of the game in the top of the fourth, but the Red Sox tallied twice in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead. St. Louis dug deep to score three times the next inning. Matt Carpenter tied it with a sac fly, and on the same play, the Red Sox somehow made two errors, allowing St. Louis to take the lead. Before Boston could recover from that, Carlos Beltran singled to make it 4-2. The Cards hung on to send it home all tied at one game each.
In game three, it seemed like St. Louis could not break free of Boston nipping at their heels. The Cards touched home twice in the bottom of the first one a single, a bunt, and three more singles. The Red Sox came back with a run in the top of the fifth and another the next inning. Matt Holliday then stepped into the hero's role with a single in the bottom of the seventh to score Carpenter and Beltran. It was 4-2, St. Louis. Was Boston done for the night?
Not quite.
The first two batters reached in the top of the eighth. A bunt moved the tying run to second. David Ortiz was the batter, and St. Louis walked him. Daniel Nava was retired on a ground ball, but it scored a run. 4-3, St. Louis. Xander Bogaerts followed with a single, and it was all tied at four.
St. Louis did not score in the bottom of the frame, and Trevor Rosenthal retired Boston 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth. That set the stage for an amazing finish. Were do I begin, where do I end.
I start with Matt Adams striking out for the third time in the game. But Yadier Molina singled for the third time on this night. The sent Boston pitcher Brandon Workman to work on the showers. Rosenthal was the next scheduled hitter.
Kogi Uehara, the Red Sox closer with 21 saves was on the hill. He posted a 4-1 record to go along with that, and an ERA of just 1.09. The first batter he would face was a pinch hitter.
It turned out to be Allen Craig. First pitch to Craig, he hit a clutch double down the left field line. The winning run was ninety feet away. No chance for a double play, no outs. Would the Red Sox pitch to Jon Jay?
Boston decided to. They moved their infield in to cut down Molina at the dish. Jay was pitched to! On the second pitch of the at-bat, he sent a grounder to second which Yadier headed home on. Huh? Dustin Pedroia saw all this, and rifled it home to nail him for the second out. Boston had a huge out, but seconds later, it didn't matter.
Craig, waited, started, then hesitated and headed towards third on the play. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, having just made the putout, looked right towards third and tried to nail Craig. The throw never made it there, however. It went wide to the right of third, and into the outfield. Allen hustled on home. Before he could get there, he was tripped up by Will Middelbrooks. The throw hit Middelbrooks and ended up going to foul territory. Daniel Nava was right there and gunned it to home, seemingly getting Craig as Saltalamacchia slapped on the tag.
Home plate umpire Dan DeMuth motioned towards third base umpire Jim Joyce. Joyce had motioned towards the play between runner and third basemen, thus meaning obstruction. Craig had touched third base legally, and was awarded another base, winning the game for the Cardinals!
It was the first time in Fall Classic history that a game had ended on an obstruction call. St. Louis had a two games to one edge. Alas, Boston came back and won the next three games. No matter. This game was going to be talked about for years.
Boston and St. Louis have always put on a show. There always seems to be something at stake when the two teams meet. It's 1946, and it's Ted Williams vs. Stan Musial (But that was a bit of a flop for both of them, eh?). It's 1967 and it's Bob Gibson's pitching, Lou Brock's speed vs. Yaz's bat and Lonborg's pitching. It's 2004, and Boston is trying to end The Curse. And it's 2013, and it's St. Louis with eighth Fall Classic's (The most of any National League team at the time, although San Francisco has since tied them) and Boston with six, so they are trying to close or widen the gap for Fall Classic triumphs. And, also you're trying to wrap your head around what you've just witnessed in game three...And explaining it...Well...
References
“The Official Site Of Major League Baseball.” MLB.com, Major League Baseball. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. www.mlb.com/.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org>.
Youtube. Youtube. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/>.
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