2004 World Series

The 2004 World Series represented the 100th time two modern Major League Baseball teams met to decide the championship. The best-of-seven series began on October 23. After winning four consecutive games, on October 27 at 10:40 pm CT, the American League champion Boston Red Sox defeated the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals to claim the 2004 World Series Trophy. It had been 86 years since Boston last claimed the prize by defeating the Chicago Cubs in the 1918 World Series.

Game 2, October 24

Boston's Fenway Park was again the site for game 2. The Cardinals' starting pitcher was Matt Morris, while Curt Schilling started for the Red Sox. "The Star-Spangled Banner" was performed by platinum-selling musician James Taylor, a Boston native and Grammy Award-winning member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Related Topics:
Matt Morris - Curt Schilling - Platinum-selling - James Taylor - Grammy Award - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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The game was played in a steady mist, with a game-time temperature of 48 degrees Fahrenheit (9 degrees Celsius).

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Schilling survived a two-out double by Albert Pujols to get out of the 1st inning. In the home half, Manny Ramírez and David Ortiz walked with two out, setting the stage for Jason Varitek to bring both runners home with a triple that landed in the deepest part of the yard.

Related Topics:
Albert Pujols - Manny Ramírez - David Ortiz - Jason Varitek

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The Red Sox made their first of four errors in the game in the top of the 2nd inning, when third baseman Bill Mueller dropped a foul fly off the bat of Jim Edmonds. But Schilling bore down and got Edmonds out. Reggie Sanders walked and Tony Womack singled, but Mueller redeemed himself by catching a Mike Matheny line drive and tagging the running Sanders for a double play.

Related Topics:
Bill Mueller - Jim Edmonds - Reggie Sanders - Tony Womack - Mike Matheny

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St. Louis reached the scoreboard in the 4th inning, thanks to Boston's second error. With Pujols on third, Sanders hit a ball that Mueller booted, allowing Pujols to score and narrow the gap to 2-1.

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Boston wasted no time again extending their lead. Kevin Millar was hit by a Morris pitch, and Mueller doubled to right with two out, putting runners on first and third for Mark Bellhorn, who hit a ball almost as far as Varitek's first-inning blast, scoring both runners and making it a 4-1 game.

Related Topics:
Kevin Millar - Mark Bellhorn

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Cal Eldred relieved Morris in the 5th inning, and he was victimized in the 6th. Trot Nixon led off with a single to center. With two out, Johnny Damon singled to left and then Orlando Cabrera hit a ball midway up the Green Monster in left field that plated both Nixon and Damon, stretching the Red Sox advantage to 6-1.

Related Topics:
Cal Eldred - Trot Nixon - Johnny Damon - Orlando Cabrera - Green Monster

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In the top of the 6th, Mueller's bad day in the field continued, as he committed his World Series record-tying third error of the game, misplaying a ground ball hit by Scott Rolen. Bellhorn failed to play a ground ball by Edmonds a moment later, but the Sox got out of the jam when Mueller redeemed himself by fielding Reggie Sanders's ground ball for a fielder's choice.

Related Topics:
Scott Rolen - Reggie Sanders

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Boston native Donna Summer performed "God Bless America" during the 7th-inning stretch.

Related Topics:
Donna Summer - God Bless America

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The Cardinals would score their last run in the 8th inning. Reliever Mike Timlin walked Edgar Rentería, who moved to third on a grounder by Larry Walker and a single by Pujols. Scott Rolen then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing Rentería home with the game's final run. Keith Foulke came on to strike out Jim Edmonds to end the rally.

Related Topics:
Mike Timlin - Edgar Rentería - Larry Walker - Scott Rolen - Sacrifice fly - Keith Foulke - Jim Edmonds

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Announced attendance was 35,001. The game lasted 3 hours 20 minutes. (Play-by-play from ESPN.com)

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