Another World Series game ended with a crazy play on the bases.
This time it went the Boston Red Sox way.
Trailing 4-2 with two outs and a runner on first base in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday, the St. Louis Cardinals brought one of the most prolific power hitters in postseason history to the plate with Carlos Beltran.
Beltran, who had the highest slugging and OPS percentages in postseason history heading into the NLCS this year and whose home run every 13 postseason at-bats is second only to Babe Ruth among all-time home run leaders, never got the chance to swing for the fence. Kolten Wong, who pinch ran for Allen Craig after the hobbled pinch hitter singled to lead off the inning, was picked off by Red Sox closer Koji Uehara to end the game and seal the a 4-2 Boston victory in St. Louis.
It was the first time in postseason history that a game ended on a pick-off.
“(Wong knew about Uehara’s pick-off move), we had meetings and went over that with all the guys,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny told reporters in the post-game press conference. “He was reminded on base of it and that his run didn’t mean that much.
“Then he slipped and the slip cost him.”
The Red Sox evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2 and are guaranteed to bring this Fall Classic back to Fenway Park. But first is Game 5 at 8:15 p.m. Monday in St. Louis and the Cardinals send ace Adam Wainwright to the mound to square off with Boston ace Jon Lester.
While a series of events led to Boston’s shocking 6-5 loss in Game 3 on an obstruction call at third base, the baseball gods may have shone down on the Red Sox Sunday when right fielder Shane Victorino was a late scratch from the lineup.
Boston told Jonny Gomes 90 minutes before first pitch that he would start in left and Daniel Nava would move over to right for Victorino. In the top of the sixth inning and the game knotted at 1-1, Gomes knocked a two-out, 2-2 sinker from Seth Maness for a three-run homer and a 4-1 Red Sox lead.
“I found out halfway through batting practice when (Boston manager John Farrell) called me over and it’s like the principal when he does that. Sometimes it’s not the best thing,” Gomes told MLB Network after the game. “It came a little late to change my routine. I finished batting practice, got inside for some quick video and then found out I’d have to protect David Ortiz in the lineup.
“It’s just the opportunity. I’ll play for that uniform, pinch hit or even a start. I have to be ready.”
The Cardinals got a run back in the bottom of the seventh when Shane Robinson doubled and scored on a Matt Carpenter single to narrow the lead to 4-2. Beltran drew a walk but Junichi Tazawa came on to relieve Craig Breslow and got Matt Holliday to ground out to second.
After Boston went scoreless in the eighth, Game 2 pitcher John Lackey came on in relief and a got a groundout before Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina reached second on an error from third baseman Xander Bogaerts. Molina reached third on a wild pitch from Lackey, who got a pop out from Jon Jay and a ground out from David Freese to end the threat and secure Boston’s 4-2 lead.
Boston went down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth and brought in Uehara, who got David Descalso to ground out to second before Craig hit a ball to the right field wall but only limped out a single. Matt Carpenter then popped out to second base for two outs before Wong was picked off by Uehara to even the series.
Felix Doubront picked up the win on the mound while Lance Lynn suffered the loss, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of work. Clay Buchholz was questionable coming in as the starter as he builds strength in his arm but he still gutted out four innings, allowing one run on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Beltran knocked in the first run of the game when his single scored Carpenter in the bottom of the third. Boston got the run back in the fifth inning when David Ortiz doubled and eventually raced home to beat a throw on Stephen Drew’s sacrifice fly to left field.
Ortiz is sizzling in the series and went 3-for-3 at the plate Sunday with two runs and a walk. Ortiz is 8-for-11 in the World Series, boasting a .727 batting average with five walks, two home runs, a double, five runs scored and five RBIs. He hasn’t struck out in the series.
“The guys are all watching and realizing that he’s tough to get out right now,” Matheny said of Ortiz. “We have to figure out a new game plan and execute. But good hitters will hit good pitches.”
