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Wacha-macallit?

October 25, 2013

Rookie sensation Michael Wacha wins again
in October as Cardinals even World Series

The Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha’s arms probaby looked this way to Red Sox hitters on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013, at Fenway Park in Boston. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chris Lee)

By Lee Kyutae

The St. Louis Cardinals’ rookie pitcher Michael Wacha not only bested Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw twice in six-days, he has now beaten the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of the World Series to improve his October record to 4-0.

The National League Championship Series MVP actually made a mistake on Thursday night at Fenway Park in Boston, as he allowed a two-run home run to ‘Big Papi’ David Ortiz during the 6th inning to briefly fall behind 2-1. He hung an 85 mile-per-hour changeup that Ortiz smacked over the Green Monster for his 17th career postseason home run.

That ended Wacha’s scoreless streak at 18 2/3 innings – a rookie record for a single postseason. However, the only other hitter to get a hit against the 22-year old left-hander was Jacoby Ellsbury, as the Red Sox were held to only three hits over six innings in the 4-2 loss.

And, Wacha said he had a tough time because he didn’t have his good stuff.

Wacha has only allowed 11 hits in 27 total innings this postseason, with an earned-run-average of 1.00.

Interestingly enough, Wacha was selected by the Cardinals last year with the first-round draft pick received as compensation when Albert Pujols signed with the Los Angeles Angels.

But, he didn’t do it alone. After the Cardinals scored three runs behind some aggressive base running to re-take the lead, two other hard-throwing rookie pitchers combined to shut the door. Carlos Martinez pitched two scoreless innings, and Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side with 11 pitches to end the game.