Clutch performance by Nixon

ST. LOUIS -- There was a time when they must have imagined sharing a World Series moment like this, but as teammates. Trot Nixon and Jeff Suppan. Both high draft picks of the Red Sox. Minor leaguers together. Their friendship blossomed when they each made it to the big club, promising talents for the folks at Fenway Park to cheer.

But when they stepped into the World Series spotlight last night in Game 3, Nixon and Suppan had to put the friendship aside. This was strictly business, Nixon standing in against Suppan, now a mainstay of the St. Louis Cardinals' pitching staff.

Suppan had retired Nixon on a fly ball to left in the second inning, but in the fourth, the situation was different. Bill Mueller had doubled to left-center with two outs and Nixon took a deep breath before walking into the batter's box, saying a quiet prayer to himself.

"I really wanted to come up with a base hit with two outs," said Nixon. "I wanted to get that run in and I was fortunate to see a good pitch."

It was a curveball out over the plate and Nixon laced it to right field for a single that scored Mueller to make it 2-0. The fact that Nixon had been hitting just .200 (9 for 45) in the postseason before that at-bat had hardly left the right fielder discouraged. "I was still confident," he said.

Nor should it have been surprising that he came through with two outs, because on this amazing October run, that has been the mantra for the Red Sox. In their last two wins over the Cardinals, the Red Sox have scored nine of their 10 runs with two outs.

"We're not overconfident, but we are a confident bunch of guys," said Nixon. "With the pitcher hitting, we knew it was important for the 6, 7, and 8 hitters to step up."

Indeed they did, with Mueller, sixth in the lineup, getting two hits, and Nixon, coming in at seventh, driving in a run.

The 4-1 victory and 3-0 series lead was the perfect Novocain for Nixon, who slipped and fell chasing down Edgar Renteria's double to right in the third. As he fell on the wet turf, Nixon landed on his left hand and jammed it. For a guy who played in just 48 games this year because of injuries (herniated disk and strained left quadriceps), it was something Nixon didn't need, but he shook it off.

He got a break when the ball bounced into a puddle, so he was able to retrieve it quickly and get it to the infield fast enough to hold runners at second and third. The play immediately following was the bizarre double play that caught Suppan off third and thwarted a St. Louis threat.

It was a key to the game, but Nixon conceded he felt badly for Suppan.

"I just love him to death," said Nixon. "He did a lot better in the minor leagues than I did. He's a great competitor and he went out there and battled tonight. We were just fortunate to get a few big hits."

None bigger than his own.