WS 1: Red Sox 13, Rockies 1

Rockies - 010 000 000 -  1  6  0
Red Sox - 310 270 00x - 13 17  0

Josh Beckett was the shit once again (7-6-1-1-9, 93). Dustin Pedroia hit a home run to start the first inning -- the first rookie in World Series history to do so -- and J.D. Drew added a two-run double to give Boston a quick 3-0 lead.

Beckett relied almost exclusively on his fastball for the first four innings -- 39 of his first 40 pitches were heat ranging from 95 to 97. He had excellent control. He set up Todd Helton with a 12/6 curve for strike two in the second inning before getting him swinging at a fastball and his 0-2 off-speed pitch to Matt Holliday in the fourth was tapped to third.

Nine consecutive Red Sox batters reached base with two outs in the fifth -- three doubles, two singles and four walks, including three straight bases-loaded walks -- that pushed the lead from 6-1 to 13-1.

So ... Boston's last four games: 7-1, 12-2, 11-2, 13-1. Four wins by a combined score of 43-6!

And:

First team in postseason history to score 10+ runs in three straight games

13 Runs = New World Series Game 1 record

12 Runs = Largest margin of victory in World Series Game 1 (11: White Sox 1959 and Atlanta 1996)

Tied World Series record with nine extra-base hits (Pirates 1935)

The final half-inning, courtesy of Eric Gagne:


***

Lineups:

Rockies                 Red Sox
Willy Taveras, CF       Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Kaz Matsui, 2B          Kevin Youkilis, 1B
Matt Holliday, LF       David Ortiz, DH
Todd Helton, 1B         Manny Ramirez, LF
Garrett Atkins, 3B      Mike Lowell, 3B
Brad Hawpe, RF          Jason Varitek, C
Troy Tulowitzki, SS     J.D. Drew, RF
Yorvit Torrealba, C     Julio Lugo, SS
Ryan Spilborghs, DH     Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
  
Jeff Francis, P         Josh Beckett, P

***





Jeff Francis / Josh Beckett



***

Powerful Mojo: