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Sports See other Sports Articles Title: Red Sox open World Series with rout Red Sox open World Series with rout Ronald Blum Associated Press Oct. 24, 2007 10:27 PM BOSTON - Josh Beckett, Dustin Pedroia and the Boston Red Sox were revved up and ready. Not so the Colorado Rockies, who lurched into Beantown with all the zip of a creaky old stagecoach. Back in the World Series with no Bambino's curse to worry about, the Red Sox flattened the Rockies 13-1 in Wednesday night's opener. Beckett got off to the most overpowering start since Sandy Koufax, Pedroia became only the second player to lead off the Series with a home run, and then a relentless offense led by Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz racked up hit after hit. "Not sure what the final score was," Colorado's Todd Helton said, "but we were a little rusty." Despite the lopsided score there was no boasting from Boston. "I executed just enough pitches today to survive," Beckett said. "That's a good lineup over there. You can tell how hungry they are." Boston set a record for runs and victory margin in an opener and finished with 17 hits, becoming the first club with 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 ever happened in the Series. Make no mistake, these Red Sox are slick, and not just because of an on-and-off drizzle that seemed to dampen the noise from 36,733 fans in Fenway Park. Counting their comeback from a 3-1 deficit against Cleveland in the AL championship series, the Red Sox have outscored opponents 43-6 in their last four games. In the first five innings against Colorado, the Red Sox were 11-for-15 (.733) when batting with two outs. "We definitely had a lot of momentum going," said Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who doubled twice. "Our motto is always early and often." Colorado has the altitude - the series shifts to mile-high Coors Field this weekend - and 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. "That's not the way we drew it up," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. Boston showed the veteran attitude and stretched a Red Sox Series winning streak to five for the first time since 1915-16. While the Rockies lined up for the introductions on the foul side of the third-base line, looking every bit the World Series rookies they are, the Red Sox stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the infield side, knowing they belonged. With stubble on his upper lip and a hint of a soul patch on his chin, the 27-year-old Beckett pitched in the manner of a young Roger Clemens. Coming off his ALCS MVP, the 2003 World 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. Beckett 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. "We're not done and he's not done," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. Pitching on 12 days' rest, Francis fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and was finished after four, giving up six runs and 10 hits. Colorado, which had matched the 1976 Cincinnati Big Red Machine by sweeping its first seven postseason games, lost for just the second time since Sept. 15. The Rockies allowed just eight runs in their sweep of Arizona in the NL championship series and gave up nearly twice that in five innings. "We're not worried about a layoff," Francis said. "We didn't execute." Boston tries to make it 2-0 Thursday night when Curt Schilling, 10-2 in postseason play, 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. While the 1959 Chicago White Sox and 1996 Atlanta Braves both won their openers by 11 runs, they went on to lose the Series. "This is a tough series and a tough team," Youkilis said. "There's a reason why they're here." It was looking a lot more like March than October by the late innings. Boston brought out bench players, the Rockies rotated relievers and some fans headed home early. Beckett began by fanning Willy Taveras, Kaz Matsui, Matt Holliday and 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. And what a five those were: Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson, Tom Tresh, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Boston's batters started right where they left off in Series play. When the Red Sox completed their sweep of St. Louis in 2004, leadoff man Johnny Damon homered on Jason Marquis' fourth pitch. Pedroia sent Francis' second offering over the 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. When Colorado moved the infield in with a runner on third, Ramirez singled over Troy Tulowitzki - who might have caught the ball had he been playing back at the normal shortstop position. J.D. Drew's double made it 3-0. Tulowitzki doubled in a run in the second, but Ortiz had an opposite-field RBI double in the bottom half - a ball that went just over Tulowitzki and rolled to the wall. Varitek's two-run double made it 6-1 in the fourth, and the rout was on. "It's a big loss, Game 1 of the World Series," Helton said. "But knowing the heart of this team, we'll come back tomorrow." Notes: With 64 postseason RBIs, Ramirez moved ahead of David Justice for second all-time behind Bernie Williams (80). ... The 12 combined doubles were a Series record. ... The 1932 New York Yankees and 1996 Braves scored 12 runs each in their openers. ... The 1906 Chicago White Sox and 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates also had eight doubles. ... Franklin Morales got just two outs and was charged with seven runs for a 94.50 Series ERA. He was called for the first Series balk since David Weathers of the Yankees in 1996.
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