David HartsteinWith additional reporting by Dan Daranciang
After 86 years of close calls and disappointments for dedicated fans, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series Wednesday night for the first time since 1918. With a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on their home turf at Busch Stadium, Boston overcame its famed “Curse of the Bambino” to pull off a four-game sweep against the season’s winningest team in the Major Leagues.
“All of our fans have waited all their lives for this night, and it’s finally here,” Red Sox Owner John Henry told the Associated Press.
A fourth-pitch homerun by Red Sox center-fielder Johnny Damon, a two-run double by right-fielder Trot Nixon in the third inning, and an outstanding game for pitcher Derek Lowe contributed to the team’s victory. Lowe allowed just three hits in seven innings.
Boston was the first team in World Series history never to trail in any of the championship’s four games. They were also the first club ever to win eight straight games in a postseason after upsetting the New York Yankees 3-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.
Left-fielder Manny Ramirez was the first Red Sox player ever to be presented with the World Series’ Most Valuable Player award. Ramirez hit an average of .412 in the series, scoring one homerun in Game 3, four RBIs, and one run. Ramirez is now tied with New York Yankees Hank Bauer and Derek Jeter for the longest postseason hitting streak of 17 games.
Ramirez also received this year’s Hank Aaron Award as the top hitter in the American League, leading with 43 homeruns, 130 RBIs and a .308 batting average.
Despite an outstanding regular season record of 105 wins to 57 losses, the Cardinals failed to win a championship for the 22nd year in a row.
“I’m disappointed that we didn’t play well in the World Series just for the sake of the people, and to hear that crowd go crazy again,” said Cardinals’ center-fielder Jim Edmonds. “That’s tough. We didn’t even give them a chance to cheer.”
Freshman Adam LaMore, a Cardinals fan, expressed frustration over the team’s performance in the series.
“The Cardinals could have beaten Boston if they hadn’t played their worst four games of the season in the World Series,” said LaMore. “The only thing more humiliating would have been being swept by the Cubs.”
Graduate student Josh Brockman, who has been a Red Sox fan since he was old enough to watch them play, was unable to score tickets to Wednesday night’s game but went to Busch Stadium after it was over to be a part of the visiting Boston fans’ celebration.
“It still hasn’t set in for me,” said Brockman. “Two weeks ago, I had resigned myself to the fact that they were going to lose to the Yankees. I never thought the Red Sox would sweep a World Series.”