Red Sox Leaving Bambino Far Behind

Oct 25, 12:53 PM

Current Headlines: By David Pevear, The Sun, Lowell, Mass.

Oct. 25--BOSTON -- Local legend has it that the Red Sox once went 86 years between World Series parades.

This must be difficult to imagine for a generation of fans hatched post-Buckner who think the Red Sox cannot possibly lose even a single World Series game. Swept the Cardinals in '04. Off and running against the Rockies in '07.

Your grandkids' Red Sox are Bambino-proof, and last night they were also waterproof while turning back the avalanche that had been the Colorado Rockies, 13-1, in Game 1 of the 2007 World Series at soggy Fenway.

What a seven-day joyride this has been for Sox fans. A week ago, their team trailed the Cleveland Indians three games to one in the ALCS. The end seemed near.

Today, the Red Sox lead the

Rockies one game to none in the World Series. The riot gear is coming out of the closet down at Boston police headquarters.

How the Red Sox got from there to here was on full display again last night.

Josh Beckett rolled out his 97-mph intimidators, striking out the side 1-2-3 in the top

of the first.

The Red Sox then rolled to an early lead, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first, starting with mighty-mite rookie Dustin Pedroia just clearing the Monster with Colorado starter Jeff Francis' second pitch.

The 103rd World Series was off dancing to that booming Red Sox beat.

"I think you saw a real good Beckett," said Colorado manager Clint Hurdle, "and our inability to shut down anything."

Once rolling, these Red Sox -- similar to their '04 model -- are an unalterable force. They needed to be forceful last night in order to crumble the Rockies, who had won 10 straight games and 21 of their last 22. The Rockies had experienced defeat only once in the previous 38 days.

Yet Colorado's eight-day layoff after winning the NLCS was the second-longest ever for a team prior to appearing in the World Series. The Rockies were a step or two, or 20, behind Boston all night.

(The 1910 Philadelphia A's had a 10-day layoff before the World Series, but still beat the Cubs, who next year will celebrate the 100th anniversary of their last title.)

"We need to play a game," Hurdle said before Game 1 last night. "We're getting closer every minute, and I'm excited about it. I can't wait to watch our team take the field and start playing again."

Be careful of what you can't wait for.

Hurdle probably wished he could have covered his eyes during the Red Sox's seven-run fifth inning that increased Boston's lead to 13-1.

The Rockies warmed up for the remainder of the series by chasing after Red Sox hits -- 17 of them to be exact. The 13 runs scored by Boston last night were the most any team has ever scored in Game 1 of a World Series.

And the team that has won Game 1 has won nine of the last 10 World Series, and 16 of the last 19.

"I wasn't aware of that," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said before last night's game. "It would be great to win Game 1. If we don't, we're not going to pack it in, and I know the Rockies won't."

The pregame festivities featured the Lowell High School Air Force Junior ROTC Honor Guard, and also the Man They Call Yaz, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch while several of his teammates from the 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox watched.

"I think winning (the World Series) in 2004 stopped all that (Bambino curse talk)," said Carl Yastrzemski, who played on losing Red Sox sides in seven-game World Series in 1967 and '75. "What's this? The second World Series in four years?"

Ho-hum.

Tonight in Game 2, the Red Sox will send to the mound 40-year-old Curt Schilling, one of the greatest postseason pitchers of his generation, who will make his 19th career postseason start.

Colorado counters with 23-year-old Ubaldo Jimenez, a Dominican and worshiper of Pedro Martinez, who will be making only his 19th career big-league start, period (third in the postseason).

"I mean, I never pitched here before," Jimenez said before the Red Sox routed his team last night. "I just heard it's fun to pitch (at Fenway), so I don't feel any pressure. I'm just really excited about it."

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