World Series: Red Sox Set Tone, Crush Rockies in Game One

After Josh Beckett struck out the side in the top of the first, Dustin Pedroia swatted a homer over the Green Monster to lead off the bottom of the inning. 

The Rockies should've packed in Game One right then and there.

The Red Sox took control of the 2007 World Series by walloping the Rockies 13-1 Wednesday night.

The Boston offensive juggernaut was in full force—eight of nine Red Sox starters picked up a hit, scored a run, or notched an RBI.

Pedroia, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Jason Varitek, and J.D. Drew all had two RBI, while Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis scored three times apiece. 

The Sox also tied a World Series record with nine extra-base hits, eight of them doubles.

11 of Boston's runs were scored with two outs, including all seven tallies in the decisive fifth inning. Youkilis was instrumental in igniting two of Boston's two-out rallies.

In the second inning, down 0-2 in the count, Youkilis worked a two-out walk before hustling around the bases to score on an Ortiz double.

In the fifth inning, Youk doubled with two outs to drive in Jacoby Ellsbury. It was the first of four straight hits that ultimately put the game out of reach. 

On the mound, Beckett shut down Colorado with blazing fastballs through the first three innings, then mixed in his curveball to strike out nine batters over seven innings of work.

The Rockies' top two RBI men, Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe, were a combined 0-for-8 with six strikeouts.  Hawpe whiffed in all four of his at-bats.

Troy Tulowitzki played well, lining two doubles and driving in the sole Colorado run—but he was one of the only Rockies not to show rust from eight days off. 

Jeff Francis wasn't sharp, surrendering six runs in just four innings of work.  He consistently left pitches up in the zone that became hard-hit balls, including six Red Sox doubles.

All is not lost for the Rockies.  The back end of their bullpen pitched 3.1 scoreless innings to finish the game.  Todd Helton had two hits, and their infield continued to play excellent defense.

It's possible Colorado will round back into shape as the Red Sox begin to feel the fatigue of their seven-game series against the Indians.

Whether the Rockies can recover in time to win Game Two is an open question—one which will greatly impact their chances of winning the Series.