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The Boston Red Sox defeated the Colorado Rockies on their own ball park to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven World Series. With the aid of its big bats and speed on the base paths, the Red Sox managed to overwhelm the Rockies once again and won 10-5 at Denver’s Coors Field, a victory which took them on the brink of winning the World Series.
The game was played under National League rules and as those rules require the pitcher to bat as well, Bosox fans were given the chance to see Daisuke Matsuzaka at the plate for the first time.
Matsuzaka didn’t let his fans down and knocked in two runs with a line single in the third inning, while bating for the first time in the big league, to push Boston’s early lead to 5-0. Sox’s 100-million-dollar man left the game in the sixth inning with a 6-0 lead and a runner in scoring position.
The Red Sox play are playing the American League during the regular season, thus respecting the rules of the league which stipulate that designated hitters are allowed to bat for the pitcher.
The Rockies managed to create a run in the seventh inning and pounced in Boston’s bullpen for two runs to close the gap to 6-5 with Matt Holliday's three-run homer.
The Boston Red Sox regained momentum and, with the aid of a great defense - especially from shortstop Julio Lugo – stopped the Rockies’ run. In the eight inning, the Bosox scored three runs and added another one in the ninth to earn the win that brings them very close to winning their second World Series crown in four years.
History and statistics are on their side as all of the 22 teams that had a three-games-to-none lead in the World Series eventually won the championship and 19 of them managed to complete the sweep. The Boston Red Sox can complete the sweep in the fourth game scheduled for Sunday at Coors Field.
However, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle isn't worried about history and statistics.
"So it looks like we're in ground-breaking territory,'' Hurdle said.
"But that isn't our focus. Our focus is on Game 4. We can't overreact or underreact to our situation. We can't win four games (Sunday). We can only win one, so we have to concern ourselves with getting that win,'' he added.
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