Boston in a Blowout -- Beckett, Red Sox Hitters Dominate Rockies in Opener

Oct 25, 07:01 PM

Current Headlines: By Ronald Blum

BOSTON - Josh Beckett, Dustin Pedroia and the Boston Red Sox were revved up and ready. Not so the Colorado Rockies, who showed up in Boston looking rusty instead of rested as the Red Sox flattened the Rockies, 13-1, in Wednesday night's World Series opener.

Beckett got off to the most overpowering start since Sandy Koufax, Pedroia became the second player to lead off the Series with a home run, and then a relentless offense led by Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz got hit after hit.

Boston set a record for runs and victory margin in an opener and finished with 17 hits, becoming the first club to hit eight doubles in a Series game since 1925. After taking a 6-1 lead against Colorado ace Jeff Francis, the Red Sox piled on seven runs in the fifth, when Rockies reliever Ryan Speier walked three straight batters with the bases loaded - the first time that has happened in a Series game.

Colorado had won 21 of 22 coming in. But after a record eight days off, the Rockies looked like a team starting spring training. Just four batters in and trailing by only a run, the Rockies moved their infield in.

Beckett, coming off his A.L. championship series MVP, blew away the Rockies with 95-97 mph fastballs the first time through the order, then started mixing in a 77-mph curve. He allowed six hits in seven innings, struck out nine and walked one, improving to 4-0 with a 1.20 ERA in the postseason this year.

Francis fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and was finished after four, giving up six runs and 10 hits. Colorado lost for the second time since Sept. 15. The Rockies allowed just eight runs in their sweep of Arizona in the N.L. championship series and gave up nearly twice that in five innings.

Boston will try to make it 2-0 tonight when Curt Schilling, 9-2 in the postseason, pitches against rookie Ubaldo Jimenez.

The winner of the opener has gone on to win nine of the last 10 World Series and 62 of 102 overall.

Beckett began the game by striking out Willy Taveras, Kaz Matsui, Matt Holliday and Todd Helton, becoming the first pitcher to strike out the first four batters in a Series game since Koufax got five Yankees to start the 1963 Series, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Pedroia connected on Francis' second throw, leaning to catch an outside pitch and yank it just over the 37-foot Green Monster in left.

The only other player to homer starting a Series was Baltimore's Don Buford, against Tom Seaver and the 1969 Miracle Mets.

Kevin Youkilis then doubled to deep right-center and Ortiz, after trying a bunt, advanced the runner with a groundout. When Colorado moved the infield in, Ramirez singled over Troy Tulowitzki.

Jason Varitek singled with two outs and J.D. Drew doubled to right, with Brad Hawpe sliding to keep the ball from rolling to the low fence. Ramirez scored for a 3-0 lead.

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World series

Wednesday's Game 1

Boston 13, Colorado 1; Red Sox lead series, 1-0

Today's Game 2

Colorado (Jimenez 4-4) at Boston (Schilling 9-8), 7:29 p.m.; WHBQ- TV (13)

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Originally published by Ronald Blum Associated Press .

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