The Boston Red Sox have won the Major League Baseball World Series, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 in Wednesday night's game six to clinch their third championship in 10 years.
Playing in front of a raucous home crowd, Boston jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning when outfielder Shane Victorino hit a bases-loaded double.
The Red Sox struck again in the fourth inning, scoring three more runs, including a solo home run by Stephen Drew, to take a commanding 6-0 lead.
All six runs were charged to Cardinals rookie pitcher Michael Wacha, who had won his four earlier playoff starts this year while giving up a total of only three runs.
The Cardinals had a chance to get back in the game in the seventh inning. They scored a run on a Carlos Beltran single, and had the bases loaded with two outs, but Boston reliever Junichi Tazawa got Allen Craig to ground out to end the inning. No St. Louis runner reached base after that.
Red Sox starter John Lackey pitched a strong six-and-two-thirds innings, allowing nine hits and one Cardinals run.
Boston's victory allowed its fans to celebrate a World Series win in their home city for the first time since 1918. The Red Sox won the title in 2004 and 2007, but clinched both of those championships in their opponent's ballpark.
David Ortiz, an immensely popular player in Boston who was a member of all three World Series teams, was named the most valuable player. He had two home runs and a .688 batting average against the Cardinals -- more than double his average for the season -- and drove in six runs in the six games. Cardinals pitchers also walked him eight times, including three intentional walks in game six.
Playing in front of a raucous home crowd, Boston jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning when outfielder Shane Victorino hit a bases-loaded double.
The Red Sox struck again in the fourth inning, scoring three more runs, including a solo home run by Stephen Drew, to take a commanding 6-0 lead.
All six runs were charged to Cardinals rookie pitcher Michael Wacha, who had won his four earlier playoff starts this year while giving up a total of only three runs.
The Cardinals had a chance to get back in the game in the seventh inning. They scored a run on a Carlos Beltran single, and had the bases loaded with two outs, but Boston reliever Junichi Tazawa got Allen Craig to ground out to end the inning. No St. Louis runner reached base after that.
Red Sox starter John Lackey pitched a strong six-and-two-thirds innings, allowing nine hits and one Cardinals run.
Boston's victory allowed its fans to celebrate a World Series win in their home city for the first time since 1918. The Red Sox won the title in 2004 and 2007, but clinched both of those championships in their opponent's ballpark.
David Ortiz, an immensely popular player in Boston who was a member of all three World Series teams, was named the most valuable player. He had two home runs and a .688 batting average against the Cardinals -- more than double his average for the season -- and drove in six runs in the six games. Cardinals pitchers also walked him eight times, including three intentional walks in game six.