Ortiz Set To Play The Field

The Red Sox have not made any official announcements, but David Ortiz could play first base for all three games in Colorado. Terry Francona acknowledged that was a possible scenario: "His bat is so important [and] there will be rest time pretty soon. But if we need to [rest him], we will."

Kevin Youkilis would be the odd man out in that case as Yerry said moving Yook across the diamond to third would be "playing two guys out-of-play position, which isn't real good." Youkilis would likely come into the games in the later innings (PH/double switch) and replace Flo at first.

The last time the Red Sox won six straight World Series games? 1915 (Games 2-3-4-5) and 1916 (Games 1-2). All six of those games were decided by one run.

Dustin Pedroia became the third Red Sock to lead off a World Series game with a home run, joining Johnny Damon (2004 Game 4) and Patsy Dougherty (1903 Game 2). Only Damon was the actual first batter in the top of the first, however. The other two were batting at home.

Hideki Okajima became the first Japanese pitcher to appear in a World Series. ... Misters October. ... Teams have taken a 2-to-0 lead in the World Series 34 times -- and won the series 27 of those times, including the last 10 in a row.

Francona, on his early hook of Curt Schilling: The bottom of the fifth

was a long inning. Because of the length of time in between innings and then with the pitching chances [by the Rockies], he was down in the tunnel, trying to stay loose. I've been around him so long, I know his body language so well. He was fighting it that last inning and what we didn't want to do is have somebody give up a run because they were getting stiff or they can't execute a pitch when they need to. So it was time to get him out of there.

Schilling:

This was just the Papa-Jima Show tonight. That was just phenomenal to watch - Okajima was just absolutely perfect every single pitch.

Tony Massarotti, Herald:

So this is what the Red Sox had in mind when they were being swept in Toronto during the middle of last month, when they ... temporarily pulled the plug on Hideki Okajima. ...

The recharged Okajima faced seven batters and retired them all - four on strikeouts ... Okajima has pitched 11.2 scoreless innings since the Sox invoked Operation Shutdown in the middle of September, and in the postseason, he effectively has spun his own shutout (9.2 innings).

Josh Beckett is now the all-time postseason leader in opponents batting average (minimum 40 innings): .159. That tops the list ahead of George Earnshaw (.174), Mariano Rivera (.176) and Sandy Koufax (.180). Beckett's .209 opponents OBP is also the lowest all-time, better than Rivera's .211 and Koufax's .223.

Theo Epstein called resigning Mike Lowell "a priority for the offseason, and I'm sure we'll be able to get something done. We have a desire to keep him here a long time. He's a core member of the organization. It's just not the time to talk about that."

Matt Holliday, on the pickoff:

I was going on the pitch, yeah. I knew he was slow to the plate and I was just trying to be aggressive and get in scoring position. ... He did a good job of holding and coming over. I wanted to cry. ... They defended their home field. Now we'll have to defend ours.

Joe McDonald, Providence Journal:

Ortiz was at his locker following Thursday night's 2-1 victory over the Rockies, spraying on his cologne and packing his back for the trip to Colorado for Games Three and Four of the World Series.

He was just about to turn around and talk with the horde of reporters when he reached back into his stall, grabbed his celebratory protective goggles. "Can't forget these," he said, and he tossed them into his bag.