:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/21872697/185968454.0.jpg)
• World Series Game 4 - If Jarrod Saltalamacchia had just held on to the ball, this never would have happened. The Boston Red Sox fell behind 2-1 in the World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals on last night's Twitter-exploding controversial game-ending interference call. Now the Red Sox desperately need a win in Game 4 of the 2013 Series. The AL Champs send right-hander Clay Buchholz to the mound tonight in Busch Stadium against Cards' right-hander Lance Lynn.
Buchholz, 29, has no decisions in three starts so far this postseason. The Sox' '05 1st Round pick has a 5.40 ERA over 16 2/3 IP in which he's walked five and K'd 15. Opposing hitters have a .284/.342/.493 line against the Red Sox' right-hander so far this fall. Last time out, in Game 6 of the ALDS with Detroit, Buchholz went five innings, allowing four hits and two runs in what ended up being a series winning 5-2 victory for the Red Sox. Buchholz makes the fifth postseason start of his career tonight in Busch Stadium. Buchholz has been dealing with shoulder "tightness" that was the topic of conversation in yesterday's pre-start press conference, but the Sox' starter said he wasn't concerned about injury and would do what he could to help his team.
"I don't think there is any risk there," Buchholz told reporters on Saturday. "My one thing that I have is to go and compete. Go out there for as long as John [Farrell] wants to leave me out there, and give the team a chance to win to the best of my ability."
Lance Lynn starts for the Cardinals, making his 20th postseason appearance and his sixth start. In spite of the fact that the 26-year-old has experience in the postseason, he told reporters it's still a different environment.
"It's never going to feel normal," Lynn said. "It's a World Series. You're getting a chance to start in the World Series, against the best team from the American League. You're excited. Got a little bit of nerves. But when it's all said and done, you've been doing it all year and you have to take it as another start and be the best prepared for it as you can."
So far this fall, Lynn is (2-1) in two starts and one relief appearance, with a 5.40 ERA, seven walks and 12 Ks in 11 2/3 IP over which opposing hitters have posted a .304/.407/.457 line. Lynn makes his third start today in the Cards' home, where the right-hander was (9-3) with a 2.82 ERA, 34 walks (3.00 BB/9) and 99 Ks (8.74 K/9) in 102 IP in 2013.
Game 4 of the 2013 World Series starts at 8:00 pm EDT in Busch Stadium...