Who: Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis
When: 8:07 PM, ET – FOX
Series record: 2-2
Grabbing an early lead in Game 4, the St. Louis Cardinals had destiny in their hands. Hold that lead and you’d be playing for the right to hoist the World Series trophy at your ballpark come Game 5.
That won’t be happening after the Boston Red Sox tied the series up on Sunday night with a 4-2 victory.
The Red Sox’s victory has guaranteed the series will return to Boston, but before that, the teams will battle in the all important Game 5, the winner moving just one victory away from becoming World Champions.
Hoping to put the Red Sox in that position will be ace Jon Lester, who dominated the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the World Series, throwing 7.2 innings of shut out ball en route to Boston’s Game 1 win. St. Louis has struggled with left handed pitching all season long, a trend that continued against Lester.
If the Cardinals are to get to the Red Sox’s southpaw, they’ll need a better effort from 19-game winner Adam Wainwright who was drubbed in the the series opener, giving up five runs (though only three earned) in five innings of work in his first start of the 2013 Fall Classic.
As of now, both managers have been tight lipped as to any potential offensive changes in Game 5. Jonny Gomes, who started in place of Shane Victorino in Game 4 (and hit a three-run home run) could find himself in the lineup yet again if the Flyin’ Hawaiian remains out with back tightness.
Both Allen Craig of the Cardinals and Mike Napoli are candidates to see time in Game 5 as well (the final home game of the season) for the Cardinals, as neither has started a game in St. Louis.