A lesson in stress management

If there's a lesson the Red Sox can take from their 11-9 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals last night in Game 1 of the World Series, it's probably this:

Score, score again, and then score some more. Just keep scoring, because against this St. Louis ball club, no amount of runs seems like enough.

The Cardinals found themselves down, 7-2, after three innings, but demonstrated their quick-strike ability the following inning, scoring three runs on three walks, a throwing error and a single to cut the Boston lead to 7-5.

Boston ultimately prevailed on Mark Bellhorn's tie-breaking two-run homer in the eighth inning but St. Louis served notice that it is an opponent to be reckoned with.

The Cardinals' ability to manufacture runs was particularly impressive considering their three top sluggers -- Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds -- didn't make an impact, going 1 for 12. Only Larry Walker, who went 4 for 5, lived up to his billing.

The Cardinals' pitching staff didn't help the cause either, particularly starter Woody Williams, who allowed seven earned runs in 2 1/3 innings of work. Understandably, St. Louis was left lamenting its lost opportunities.

"We did a couple of things of things we usually do, which was to play nine innings and give ourselves a chance," said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. "We did some things we don't usually do, such as walking guys to set up innings, and a few times they scored, and that's not how we play."

La Russa, who is managing in his his fourth World Series, saw an opponent that mirrors his team, especially in its ability to score runs in a hurry. He commended his Cardinals for rallying after trailing early.

"I think it's really clear that with both the clubs, they're used to playing nine innings and you never feel like you're out of the game," said La Russa. "That's a pretty big deficit to come back from [being down 7-2], but that's how we play. Sometimes the pitching needs to be picked up and we're ready to do it. Other times, the hitting is not there, and the pitching picks us up."

La Russa is confident that his Big Three of Pujols, Rolen, and Edmonds will be considerably more productive than they were last night. Edmonds had the trio's lone hit, a bunt down the third-base line in the second inning. "I didn't see them miss pitches down the middle. I think they were pitched tough," said La Russa. The Cardinals looked to be in for a long evening after Boston registered four runs on four hits in the first inning off Williams, who earned one of only two decisions by Cardinals starters in the National League Championship Series. He won Game 1; Jeff Suppan won Game 7.

Last night, Williams was gone in the third, three of the seven runs he allowed coming on David Ortiz's home run in the first inning. It was the 38-year-old's shortest postseason outing.

"I didn't think it was that bad a pitch Ortiz hit out, but that's three runs," said La Russa.

La Russa said he was impressed by the Sox lineup.

"They have a nice lineup. Their lineup is real dangerous, too. It's the same game we're both going to face," said La Russa. "You make good pitches, you get outs. If you open the door, however you open it, and guys are going to score. They have a real good lineup and we have a real good lineup as well."