The Red Sox have taken a 3-0 lead over the Cardinals after a first inning that was almost cut short by a bad call from second base umpire Dana DeMuth.
Jon Lester got the game started right for Boston, pitching through the first inning with the Cardinals managing just one baserunner on a Matt Holliday ground ball. He's got his velocity early, and was largely throwing strikes, earning a ground out, strike out, and pop-up against a dangerous top-four.
In the bottom half of the inning, Adam Wainwright did not get off to nearly so impressive a start. Seemingly hesitant to throw strikes, Wainwright allowed a leadoff walk to Jacoby Ellsbury, then gave up a sharp line drive to Shane Victorino that ended up an out only because it was hit directly to Holliday in left. Dustin Pedroia did not suffer from such bad luck, knocking a base knock to center field to give the Red Sox their first hit of the night.
David Ortiz stepped up to the plate looking to break out of a slump that essentially extended back to his grand slam in Game 2 of the ALCS. Instead, he hit a ground ball to second baseman Matt Carpenter. It should have ended the inning with a double play, but shortstop Pete Kozma made a huge mistake:
What this GIF doesn't show: Dana DeMuth calling Pedroia out, saying the drop came on the transfer. As the baseball world marveled at what would have been one of the worst World Series calls in recent memory, John Farrell ran out, demanded the umpires get together, and got his way. Six men in black gathered at second, and came away with a clear decision: safe at second, bases loaded.
The error undoubtedly cost the Cardinals an inning-ending pair of outs with David Ortiz running, and after getting ahead in the count 2-0, Mike Napoli made them pay in a big way, driving a cutter into the gap in left-center, clearing the bases with a little help from center fielder Shane Robinson.
The Red Sox are up 3-0, and Jon Lester just made sure it stayed that way with a dominant two-strikeout second inning. There's still seven-and-a-half frames to go, but it's about as good a start as could be hoped for.