One More Win

Jon Lester pumps his fist in Game 5, which Boston went on to win 3-1 (NESN)

With one more win, the Boston Red Sox will win the 2013 World Series. With one more win, they'll do what no Red Sox team has done since 1918, and that is win the clinching game of the Fall Classic on Fenway Park's hallowed ground. With one more win, they'll be champions.

The Sox have two chances to get that last win, both at home, where they are 57-30 (.655) this year (postseason included). Tomorrow night the Red Sox will turn to John Lackey, who was brilliant in his Game 2 start and pitched a scoreless inning of relief in Game 4. How fitting would it be for Lackey, who twirled a complete game versus the Orioles on September 19th that secured Boston's postseason berth, to help his team win the World Series in his final start of the year? It would be the storybook ending to his improbable redemption.

St. Louis will pin its hopes on Michael Wacha, who has won all four of his starts this October including his Game 2 start at Fenway. The 22 year-old will have to be at his best, and that should prove more difficult now that the Red Sox have experience against him. If he gets into trouble early, Mike Matheny can't afford to be slow pulling him from the game. Matheny must show that he's learned his lesson from leaving Joe Kelly in too long in Game 3 and Adam Wainwright in too long in Game 5.

Should the Cardinals win and force a Game 7, John Farrell will have to decide between Jake Peavy and Felix Doubront, neither of whom are particularly appealing options. But let Farrell cross that bridge if/when he gets there. For now, let's see if Lackey can do what he did as a 24 year-old rookie with Anaheim in 2002; win the deciding game of a World Series.