Cardinals vs. Red Sox: Biggest Keys to St. Louis Striking Back in Game 2

The World Series got off to a rousing start as far as Boston Red Sox fans are concerned as the Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 8-1 in Wednesday's Game 1. The Cards have proven over the course of the season that they aren't pushovers, but they need to make some changes in order to even the series on Thursday.

Game 2 of the World Series will be played at Fenway Park in Boston, and while the home crowd clearly gave the Red Sox plenty of energy in Game 1, the Cardinals have an opportunity to tilt the momentum in their favor.

Although Boston has to be considered a heavy favorite to win the World Series after dismantling St. Louis in Game 1, there is no question that the Cards have the tools necessary to bounce back. Here are the three biggest keys to the Cardinals scoring a much-needed victory in Game 2.

Michael Wacha Must Maintain NLCS Form

Rookies have certainly performed well on the playoff stage in the past, but Cardinals righty Michael Wacha has taken that to a new level this season. Wacha was highly impressive during the regular season with a 4-1 record, a 2.78 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in nine starts. His regular-season success is nothing compared to what he has done during the postseason, though, as he earned NLCS MVP honors after stifling the Los Angeles Dodgers twice, including in the Game 6 clincher.

Wacha's playoff numbers would be the envy of pitchers from any era, as he sports a 3-0 record with a microscopic 0.43 ERA and .057 WHIP. Wacha has flirted with no-hitters and pretty much done it all for the Cards this postseason. He's matched up with a crafty veteran in John Lackey on Thursday, but he needs to outduel him in order for the Cards to prevail. Luckily for Wacha and the Cardinals, teams that have gotten blown out in Game 1 of World Series play have historically bounced back well, according to Jesse Spector of Sporting News.

If the Cards are going to come back in this series, Wacha will have plenty to do with it. That is a lot of pressure to place on the shoulders of a rookie, but after Adam Wainwright's shaky performance in Game 1, it is clear that Wacha is now the Cardinals' ace. The same can't be said for Lackey in relation to the Red Sox, which means this is a virtual must-win game from St. Louis' perspective.

Allen Craig Must Anchor the Lineup

Even though the Cardinals were throttled by the Sox in Game 1, one good thing did come of it. Allen Craig returned to the lineup as the designated hitter after missing more than a month of action. Craig didn't do anything out of this world as he picked up one hit in four at-bats, but that actually broke a long dry spell for National League designated hitters at Fenway Park in World Series play, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.

The Cards' play down the stretch and throughout the playoffs has been particularly impressive since Craig has been on the shelf. Craig was a hugely important player for St. Louis throughout the regular season as he hit .315 with 13 home runs and 97 RBI and was named to his first All-Star team. Craig's role becomes even more important now with uncertainty surrounding outfielder Carlos Beltran. The Cardinals' best hitter left Game 1 with a rib injury after robbing a David Ortiz home run, and he is questionable for Game 2, according to Jorge L. Ortiz of USA TODAY.

Whether Beltran plays or not, manager Mike Matheny desperately needs Craig to step up. It may not be fair to ask Craig to anchor the lineup in just his second game back, but that burden has to fall on someone. The likes of Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday will have to elevate their respective games as well, but Craig is the guy who can replace what the team loses if Beltran is out. Even if Beltran plays, he won't be at 100 percent, so a strong game from Craig is a must.

Cards Must Tighten Up on Defense

With so much emphasis on pitching and hitting, defense often becomes a forgotten part of the game during the playoffs. As the Cardinals proved in Game 1, though, playing solid defense is integral to a winning effort. St. Louis committed three errors on Wednesday, which resulted in three of Boston's eight runs being unearned. The most egregious of those errors was committed by shortstop Pete Kozma in the first inning.

Kozma botched an easy play that led to Mike Napoli putting Boston on top with a three-run double. It was initially ruled that Kozma caught the ball, but it was correctly overturned in a moment that set the tone of the Cardinals' miserable night. According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, Matheny said his team was embarrassed by the way they played.

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We had a wake-up call. That is not the kind of team that we’ve been all season. They’re frustrated, I’m sure embarrassed to a point. We get an opportunity to show the kind of baseball we played all season long and it didn’t look anything like what we saw tonight.

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The Cards simply can't afford another defensive performance like that. Beating the Red Sox is difficult enough while playing flawless defense, but booting routine plays is inexcusable. Wednesday's showing was uncharacteristic for the Cardinals as they committed just 75 errors during the regular season, which was fourth-best in the league. St. Louis has to get back to basics on Thursday.

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