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Bellhorn Homer Gives Boston World Series Lead
Sun Oct 24, 2:18 AM ET
By Steve Keating
BOSTON (Reuters) - Mark Bellhorn cracked an eighth-inning, game-winning homer as the Boston Red Sox (news) fended off the "Curse of the Bambino" and the St. Louis Cardinals (news) 11-9 to get the 100th World Series (news - web sites) off to a wild start Saturday.
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AFP
Slideshow: Baseball: World Series
Red Sox fans arrived early and partied late as their team took a big step toward claiming their first World Series title since 1918 and ending a hex that has hung over Boston since owner Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the hated New York Yankees (news) in 1920.
In the eighth inning it appeared the "Bambino" had returned to haunt Fenway Park when outfielder Manny Ramirez made two stunning errors to allow the Cardinals to tie the game at 9-9.
But, in the bottom of the frame, Bellhorn came to the rescue with his first World Series homer, taking Julian Tavarez deep to right field to bring in Jason Varitek and trigger wild celebrations.
"In the playoffs, everything seems like a critical moment but you've just got to think of the positives, and not really so much of those four games," said Bellhorn. "Because any game can be pivotal, or have a pivotal play.
"You've just got to live in the present and that's kind of what I try to do."
The first World Series game played at venerable Fenway since 1986 had the two teams combining for 24 hits and burning through 11 pitchers in a contest that kept the fans on the edge of their seats. But it was something less than a Fall Classic.
RAMIREZ GAFFES
Until Ramirez's gaffes there were few signs of any hex as the Red Sox struck early and then held off repeated comeback bids by the Cardinals to draw first blood in the best-of-seven series. Game Two is again in Boston Sunday.
Steaming toward victory, the Red Sox were suddenly derailed when Ramirez fluffed a groundball, allowing Jason Marquis to score to trim Boston's lead to 9-8.
A few moments later, the crowd of 35,035 looked on in horror and disbelief as Ramirez misplayed a routine fly ball, stumbling to the grass as another run was scored and groans filled the air.
"That was not an instructional video...that was a little rough," Boston manager Terry Francona told reporters. "I walked out here through the outfield and just about twisted an ankle where Manny had his divot.
"We did some things wrong but we persevered and we won. We set out to win today so it's really a great day but we did make some mistakes we need to clean up."
David Ortiz got the World Series off to the best possible start for the Red Sox, hammering a three-run, first-inning homer as his team roared into a 4-0 lead.
The 28th player to homer in his first World Series at-bat, Ortiz took an 0-1 offering from Woody Williams and watched anxiously as the ball curved fair around the right-field foul pole for his fifth blast of the postseason.
The Most Valuable Player in the American League Championship Series, Ortiz continued to wield a hot bat Saturday. He added an RBI single in the seventh inning, giving him a record-equaling 19 in the postseason.
The two starters, Williams and Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, were chased from the game early.
Williams lasted 2 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits, while Wakefield went 3 2/3 frames, surrendering five runs on three hits.
Closer Kevin Foulke took credit for the win while Taverez was tagged with the loss.
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