Pregame
Martina McBride does a decent job with the National Anthem. I don’t know why she got overlooked in the country music female sex symbol race a few years back. She's prettier than Faith Hill or Shania Twain. Weird how jets emerge from her mouth at the end.

Hey it stopped raining.
Shot of the Musial statue. That's where I sat the one time I was in St.Loo and couldn't get tickets.

Red Sox, 1st
Damon—fastballs inside, 0-2—not good. Two balls low. Got away with a high fastball—line drive in front of Walker.

Cabrera—outside, 1-0—little too much plate, 1-1—low, high fastball—fouled straight back. NO FASTBALLS TO CABRERA. Again—straight back. Low fastball—lined to left-center, but Edmonds has a nice bead, gets it

Ramirez—ball low, fouled straight back, fastball low. Same pitch, but got the call—it was a ball. 2-2—high fastball, crushes it to left, one too many. Too high, too much plate. All Buck cares about is his postseason hit streak. Does anyone care?

Ortiz—1-1, fastball ripped to right. Bad signs. They are turning on that fastball.

Varitek—Strike called. Outside. Fouls off pitch inside. 1-2—low. Change low, expected fastball but adjusted, grounds to second.

1 Run, 1 Hit, 1 LOB

Red Sox 1-Cards 0

Cards 1st

Renteria—low and outside, outside, nice outer half and low fastball—2-1. Change, grounds to second, Bellhorn falls, still gets him.

Walker—swings through high heat. Tried again—too high. Again. Off the plate outside—3-1. Pedro's birthday yesterday—what did his little friend get him? Again misses high, walk.

Pujols—strike one right down the pike. Calls time right before Pedro delivers. Called strike 2-seamer on outside corner, looked low. Called high, but that's the high strike they don’t call. McCarver discussing how Pedro disrupts the running game by holding the ball. Doesn't he have to deliver the ball in 20 secs. Close throw to first, Walker stands up. Lines on one hop far to Mueller's right, backhands but drops it, single.

Rolen—this is where he has to come out of his slump. Ball one low and outside. Called strike, borderline, may have gotten the outside corner. Varitek moves way outside on pitch, way outside. Rolen was calling time out. Outside again. Nowhere near the plate yet. Again, walks the bases full on 18th pitch. Fox needs their vertical hold fixed.

Edmonds—no K's now! High heat, very. Not looking good. Tips an inside pitch, does Pedro a favor. Misses high inside fastball, 1-2. In the dirt inside. Buck sends kisses to Varitek for blocking ball. 2-2—steps out. Pops to left. What is Walker thinking? No jump, great throw, tries to avoid tag, out. Ends inning.

0 runs, 1 hit, 2 LOB
Red Sox 1, Cards 0

Sox 2nd

Mueller—outside, lines another, right to Edmonds.

Evidently, Pujols went on fly last inning thinking two outs. McCarver claims that Varitek's insouciance fooled Walker. I think Walker fooled Walker.

Nixon—called strike, pops to Renetria roaming back.

Bellhorn—called strike outer half. Inside ball. Change fouled. Inside and low—2-2. Fouled off. Bounces in dirt—Full Count. Fouls down first base line. Called strike three on low breaking ball, looked very low.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 LOB
Red Sox 1, Cards 0

Cards 2nd

Nelson De La Rosa—that's Manny's little friend.

Sanders—called, missed over the plate. Varitek stands—high, 1-2. change—popped high to left, got away with one.

Womack—High. Again but went—1-1. Again. Looked like he got the corner high but called ball. Womack does him a favor and grounds high pitch to second.

Matheny—looks terrible at plate. Two quick called strikes. Curve high and inside, doesn’t go. Fouled back. Ks—of course.

If these guys settle down, the Cards will really regret that first inning.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 LOB.

Red Sox 3rd

Martinez—strike called right on the plate. curveball low. Same as #1—1-2. Again. Pedro wanted no part of that.

Damon—strike called, change—grounds to second.

Cabrera—low strike. Low. Same as #1, fouled down third base line. Low. Outside. In dirt. Walks.

Ramirez—low and outside. Gets that low strike again. Fastball runs inside. Manny way out in front—1-2. Throw to first. Jams him high and inside—flies to straight away RF.

0 runs, 0 hits, 1 LOB
Red Sox 1, Cards 0

Cards 3rd

Suppan—strike called right over the plate. Inside. Outside. Fouled off. Again—outer half. Dribbler down third base line. Mueller barehands, too late. Safe.

Renetria—low and outside. Throws to first. Fouled off. Right over the plate, lines do deep right. Nixon hits a puddle at the warning track, double. Suppan to third.

Walker—grounds to second. Suppan holds then goes. Walker slows to draw play from Ortiz, throws to third, way out. Should have scored. They conceded the run. Oquendo looks pissed on the replay—started, stopped, then went.

Pujols—Foul. Outside. Called strike. Outside and low—checks. 2-2. Duncan is chewing out Suppan in dugout. Way outside. Bounes to third. Crowd boos.

That could become an infamous play. Suppan's Boner--The Soup Bone.

0 runs, 1 hit, 2 LOB
Red Sox 1, Cards 0

Red Sox, 4th

Ortiz—Way inside, turns, fouls off. Way high and outside. Grounds right to Pujols unassisted.

LaRussa points out that the third baseman wasn't even there, shift.

Varitek—low, called on curve. Foul. In dirt. Ks.

Mueller-low. Fastball nothing on it right over plate—to gap in left-center. Double.

Nixon—Rip in hanging curve over plate, bounces to wall in right. Runner scores. Single.

Bellhorn—fouls. Inside. Outside. Hits him. Francona on the steps of the dugout.

Martinez—fouls back on inside. Misses breaker in the dirt. No go outside. Got low call. Ks looking.

1 run, 2 hits, 2 LOB
Red Sox 2, Cards 0

Cards 4th

Rolen—low 2-seamer strike. Goes on low pitch—0-2. low and outside—grounds to Mueller. Pedro ate him up.

Edmonds---fouled. Flies to left-center—Damon has it.

Sanders—catches the corner. Outside—1-1. low. Swings threw low fastball—2-2. Again—Ks.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 LOB
Red Sox 2, Cards 0

Red Sox 5th

Damon—ball outside. Inside called strike. Low. Again. No longer getting that low call. Fastball down the pike, just foul, in the RF Stands. Again—hanging curve. Walker jogs. Bounces off the WT. Double.

Cabrera—Fouls off outer half fastball. Shows bunt, low. Corners play in. Suppan steps off looks at 2nd. Singles to right—breaker outer half, goes with it. First and third. LaRussa dials up pen.

Ramirez—Fouls. Throws to first. Inner half hanger—fouled off. On the outside corner—called ball. Change--Grounds throw hole at short. One run in. 1st and 2nd.

King up in pen. Don't they need to get him.

Ortiz—low, gets under low fastball—flies to straightaway center, Edmonds gets it, Cabrera feigns to go to third.

Varitek—low. Grounds hard right at Pujols, goes to second, too late at first, throw bounces. 1st and 3rd two out.

Mueller—fouls off. Nothing on pitch, inner half, Frozen rope beyond Pujols. Red Sox 4-0. 1st and 2nd. Suppan is gone. Al Reyes comes in… really.

Nixon—flies to left-center—Sanders has it.

2 runs, 4 hits, 2 LOB
Red Sox 4, Cards 0

Cards 5th

Womack—called strike, but inside. Bounces. Same as #1 but actually a strike. High. Fouled off. Swings threw change low—way ahead. Ks.

Matheny—flies to short.

Marlon Anderson—PH, outside, pops to mound—Mueller has it.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 LOB
Red Sox 4, Cards 0

Red Sox 6th

Bellhorn—Calero pitching. Lines one foul. Inside. Grounds to Pujols unassisted.

Martinez—strike called. Swings threw breaker in dirt. Low and outside. High. Fouled off. Low. Again. Walks. The strategy is wear Pedro out on the bases.

Damon—called strike. Why is he holding Pedro? Low. Again almost went around very close. 2-1. Grounds into 463 DP.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 LOB
Red Sox 4, Cards 0

Cards 6th

Zombies-Pedro montage—who's your daddy?

Renteria—two changes—called strike, foul. Next in dirt. Next shattered bat, to second.

Walker—ball. Hanging change. Humpback to second. Mistake—did nothing.

Pujols—2-0, right down the pike. Again a little lower. Why is he taking these? Ks on change.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 LOB
Red Sox 4, Cards 0

Red Sox 7th

I am thinking the turning point of the series was when walker went from super hot to super cold (in the middle of game 2) along with the rest of the team.

Cabrera—ball. Fastball right down the pike, fouled back. Outside. Outer half—called. Outside—fouled back. Another fastball outside—fouled back. 4-seamer—drilled to left-center. Double.

Ramirez—King up in pen—will go for Ortiz. Fastball-caught corner. Outside. #1 again. Outside again. Unintentional walk. Outside again—checks. Low and outside. Take you base. King coming in.

Ortiz—outside/low. Way low. Swings through slider. In the dirt, checked swing. Dribbler to Pujols, unassisted.

0 runs, 1 hit, 1 LOB
Red Sox 4, Card 0

Cards 7th

Rolen—2-0, excuse me swing to first.

Walker—strike called. Inside. Outside. Swings through 4-seamer. In dirt—3-2. 4-seamer—Ks.

Sanders—called. Swinging. Foul. High 4-seamer. Gets him on the change. Sanders aged about 10 years in the postseason.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 LOB
Red Sox 4, Cards 0

Red Sox 8th

Pedro's gone.

Kabler-PH Nixon. 1-1 grounds foul. Low. Grounds to Rolen.

Chris Myer—interviewing "Leon" from Bud commercial. WTF is this?

Bellhorn—flies to right in the middle of the commercial

Millar—PH for Martinez. Takes strike. Another outside corner. Grounds to third. LaRussa said he would use King for six outs and is. Doesn't matter that only lefty in pen since the Cards will be done tomorrow.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 LOB
Red Sox 4, Cards 0

Cards 8th

Mr. Buttermaker is letting everyone play

Timlin in. Kapler in right. Mientkiewicz at first. Reese at second.

Womack—grounds to Mueller who was playing up.

Cedeno—PH for Matheny. Where's Mabry??? Grounds to short.

Mabry—PH for King. To First unassisted. McCarver says that the Red Sox have a pen by committee led by Foulke—what?????

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 LOB
Red Sox 4, Cards 0

Red Sox 9th

Tavarez in. Molina catching.

Foulke up in pen.

Damon—ball. fouled off. Ball. Flies to center.

Cabrera—ball but looked good. Same but a strike. Inside corner, strike. At his head. Fouls off his foot. Another high heat—flies out.

Ramirez—Buck is saying that the Suppan play didn’t determine the outcome because Pedro was "that good", but he wasn't early. Besides only plants seeds for McCarver to say, yeah, but that demoralized the Cards and Pedro took over. Ks.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 LOB
Red Sox 4, Cards 0

Cards 9th

McCarver is going to facily make is all about that one play.

Foulke in.

Renteria—Fouls deep to right, but Fox doesn't show us, cameraman's gone home. Ball. Foul. UGLY swing very late on 2-seamer, wants to go home.

Walker—two fouls. 4-seamer drives to deep left-center gone.

Pujols—1-0. deep to left. Out in front of the track.

Rolen—appropriate he should end it. Polar Express Play of the Game—Where's Leon? Hits it deep to left, foul. 0-2. Fastball inside corner belt-high. Strikes out looking.

1 run, 1 hit, 0 LOB.
Red Sox 4, Cards 1

Pedro in clubhouse with Chris Myers—first question about Suppan. That will become the play of the game/series.

This was pathetic, little-league baseball. Tony LaRussa should have to answer for this. Walker AND Suppan? You have to go after Martinez early. They did but couldn't put him away. Kennedy is now blaming the loss on the Jeff Suppan play, but it was just one of many issues. Throwing fastballs to Cabrera is a bigger one.

LaRussa's press conference—He says that Suppan heard "No No" not "Go, go" on the play. No tough questions for LaRussa!?!?!

As an NL guy, I am now convinced that the NL is like the NBA's eastern conf. The best team there isn't as good as a borderline playoff team in the AL.