Boston Red Sox Fail to Grab Momentum, Lose 4-2

Oct 24, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop

(38) scores as the ball gets by Boston Red Sox catcher

(39) during the seventh inning of game two of the MLB baseball World Series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

If you came into Game Two looking for a tight game, you were in for a treat! With dominating performances from both John Lackey and Michael Wacha, it became a battle of the bullpens that decided the winner of this one.

Ironically, it would be an error that doomed Boston. After a sacrifice fly that tied the game, Craig Breslow air-mailed a throw to third base that allowed the go-ahead run to score. Carlos Beltran followed the error with a poke to right, earning the RBI and putting the Cardinals up 4-2 and sealing the deal at Fenway.

How good was Lackey? Really, really good. And it really is a shame that he gets the loss. He managed to hold the Cardinals to just six hits over six and 1/3 innings. There was a clutch performance needed on the bump in Boston tonight, and he delivered. Going into the game, we knew it would be hard to duplicate Jon Lester‘s game; and while he didn’t pitch into the eighth inning, Lackey provided a memorable outing.

Everything wasn’t doom-and-gloom for the Boston Red Sox. David Ortiz did what David Ortiz does best…be a clutch hitter. After failing to get anything moving on offense in the first five innings, Big Papi launched a go-ahead home run to left-centerfield, putting Boston up 2-1 at the time. Ortiz added another highlight reel at-bat to his clutch Postseason performance, making us realize that the 37-year old DH still knows how to fire up a Fenway Park crowd. This should go down as one of the more memorable stretches in his career.

The Sox now head to St. Louis somewhat without momentum. A 2-0 advantage would have been huge, and the fact that they were unable to take this one hurts John Farrell‘s club tremendously. The Cardinals swiped this game from Boston’s hands and took one at their home ball-park. If you don’t think that fires up a team, you clearly don’t realize the magnitude of this situation.

There’s going to be some emotions in St. Louis. Will they ultimately be detrimental to the Red Sox?