Boston Red Sox closing pitcher Koji Uehara's seven-year-old son, Kaz, stated that he was going to "[party like] crazy" in celebration of his father helping the Sox win the World Series title. The Red Sox, with a crazy win in Game 6 of the World Series on Oct. 30 over the St. Louis Cardinals, clinched both their third title in the last 10 years and their first in Fenway Park since 1918.
After the Red Sox stole a win in Game 4 in St. Louis to tie the series at two games apiece, the team was just two wins away from World Series success. However, two of the year's best postseason pitchers-Cardinals' aces Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha-stood in the way. Wainwright and Wacha gave up just six runs over six previous starts in the postseason. However, the duo was rattled for six runs over their next two starts.
Wainwright worked through early troubles in Game 5, surrendering back-to-back doubles to Red Sox second-baseman Dustin Pedroia and designated hitter -and eventual MVP-David Ortiz that staked Boston to a 1-0 first inning lead. He would settle down to strike out 10 Red Sox over seven innings pitched, but was outdueled by Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester, who worked seven and two-thirds innings, striking out seven batters and giving up just one run on a Cardinals leftfielder Matt Holliday solo home run in the fourth inning.
The Red Sox were once again beneficiaries of late inning heroics in Game 5, though, as two runners crossed the plate in the top of the seventh inning. Backup catcher David Ross hit a screaming line drive down the left field foul line with runners on first and second that bounced over the wall for a ground rule double. Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury then knocked in an RBI single that brought home the third and final run of the night for the Sox.
Boston could have stretched their lead to 4-1 on Ellsbury's RBI single, but Ross was thrown out trying to score from second base.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Lester ran into trouble when he surrendered a one out double. However, he then retired Cardinals shortstop Pete Kozma before handing the ball off to Uehara for a five out save.
Uehara needed just 15 pitches, 11 of which were strikes, to record the five outs. Two of Uehara's five outs came via strikeout.
The win in Game 5 allowed the Red Sox to return to Boston with a 3-1 series lead and the chance to make history at home.
The Red Sox faced quite the obstacle in Cardinals rookie Wacha in Game 6. Wacha had given up just three runs in four starts and 27 innings during the postseason, additionally limiting Boston to just two runs over six innings in Game 3.
The Red Sox, in a surprising offensive outburst, jumped all over Wacha and the Cardinals in Game 6, bringing in six runs to clinch the Fall Classic. Boston scored three runs in the third inning on a three-run, bases loaded double by Shane Victorino.
The Sox added on three more runs in the fourth inning courtesy of a 400-foot home run from shortstop Stephen Drew. John Lackey, meanwhile, displayed his veteran experience for the Red Sox, scattering nine hits and one run over six and a third innings.
The bullpen took care of business from there and the Red Sox were on their way to a championship.
Uehara, who had statistically the best postseason of all time, sealed the deal by working a perfect ninth inning to preserve the lead. He needed just 13 pitches, 10 of which were strikes, to record two flyouts and a strikeout in a dominant ninth.
The Sox are once again World Champions-just one year after a last-place finish in the American League East. After some of the most memorable single game endings in World Series history, the Sox had every right to party like crazy at Fenway Park.
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