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FINAL: Red Sox 2, Rockies 1

By JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- Game Two of the World Series was not a blowout like Game One, and neither the Red Sox nor Rockies expected it to be last night at Fenway Park.

It’s baseball. It’s October. Anything can happen. But the second game of this seven-game set had a similar ending as the Red Sox beat the Rockies and take a two-game lead with a 2-1 victory.

After Boston pummeled Colorado on Wednesday, it was clear the Red Sox had momentum, but the home-town team wasn’t about to take anything for granted. The visitors proved they can quickly forget.

“Short-term memory is very important in this game,” said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle. “One of the strengths of our ballclub is the ability to honestly self-evaluate and move on.”

Reflecting on the butt-whopping wouldn’t do any good for the Rockies, and the National League champions did a pretty good job keeping Wednesday’s game out of their minds in order to concentrate on the all-important Game Two.

Hurdle said his club was playing so well prior to Game One’s debacle, winning 21 of their last 22 games, so last night it was very important to get back in sync if Colorado had any chance to make this a competitive series.

Because the Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series, and celebrated the club’s first championship in 86 years away from Boston, it could have been easy for some to think this season would be much of the same due to the 13-1 drubbing the Red Sox handed the Rockies in the first game.

“We’re not concerned public opinion outside the clubhouse,” said Hurdle. “That doesn’t mean we don’t respect it, but we don’t give it any power. We don’t give it any energy. We know what we need to do to win ballgames.”

Hurdle and his club wasn’t about to make any excuses. They weren’t blaming their sub-par performance on the nine-day rest, especially since Red Sox ace Josh Beckett was so dominant. But the Rockies needed to win last night, probably more so than Game One just because heading to Colorado, trailing by two games, isn’t exactly how the Rockies drew this one up.

The Cardinals certainly learned that in ’04 as Boston completely dominated.

After the Rockies’ ace, Jeff Francis, was smoked in Game One, Colorado handed the ball to Ubaldo Jimenez for a chance to even the series.

On the opposite side, this is what Red Sox veteran Curt Schilling lives and breaths for as pitching in October makes his postseason legend grow every time he toes the rubber in the fall.

The one way the Rockies attempted to stifle the streaking Boston offense was to keep the hitters off balance by pitching in. Jimenez, the crafty right-hander, had no fear throwing up and tight on the Red Sox hitters, especially Kevin Youkilis and Julio Lugo as both almost had their heads taken off.

That game plan worked and Boston couldn’t produce offensively until the fourth inning when J.D. Drew’s one-out single snapped Jimenez’s no-hit bid. On that play, it was the hustle of Mike Lowell, who went from first to third on the hit to right-center field that proved crucial.

Lowell barley slid safely into the bag, but the heads-up play put the potential game-tying run 90 feet away. Varitek lifted a high fly ball to deep center field for a sacrifice fly, scoring Lowell to tie the game at 1-1.

It was obvious Jimenez was tiring in the middle innings and after he recorded two quick outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, the right-hander walked Ortiz before Ramirez singled. Lowell provided an RBI-double to give Boston a 2-1 lead.

That was the end of Jimenez’s night. He worked 4 2/3 and surrendered two runs on three hits with five walks and two strikeouts. Because the Red Sox were able to run the Rockies’ starter early in the game, Boston took advantage of the bullpen for the second consecutive game.

Meanwhile, Schilling continued to cruise before he was given the hook in the top of the sixth inning. The right-hander allowed a one-out single to Matt Holliday, his third hit of the game, and Schilling followed with a walk to the always-dangerous Todd Helton.

So, Francona made the decision to pull the ace and replaced him with Hideki Okajima. The move worked to perfection as the crafty lefty recorded the last two outs to end the threat. Schilling’s night ended after 5 1/3 where he surrendered one run on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Okajima was perfect as he retired all seven batters he faced, including four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings of work. Closer Jonathan Papelbon closed the door when he recorded the final four outs of the game.

Now the series shifts west to Colorado for Games Three, Four and possibly Five. This young Rockies team, however, is a lot different than the veteran Cardinals club of ’04, so don’t expect a sweep because the Red Sox are not thinking in those terms.

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 11:51 PM | Permalink

Comments

Greg | October 26, 2007 12:09 AM link