World Series glance
A look at the best-of-7 World Series between the Colorado Rockies and Boston Red Sox:
Schedule: (All times Pacific) Game 1, today at Boston (5:35 p.m., Fox); Game 2, Thursday at Boston (5:29 p.m., Fox); Game 3, Saturday at Colorado (TBD, Fox); Game 4, Sunday at Colorado (TBD, Fox); x-Game 5, Monday at Colorado (TBD, Fox); x-Game 6, Oct. 31 at Boston (TBD, Fox); x-Game 7, Nov. 1 at Boston (TBD, Fox).
x-if necessary.
Season Series: Rockies won 2-1.
Matchups:
The Rockies won two of three at Fenway Park in June, outscoring Boston 20-5. … In all, the Rockies are 5-4 in interleague play against the Red Sox. … The teams will play without a designated hitter in Colorado, an intriguing issue for the A.L. squad. The Red Sox won’t want to take David Ortiz’s big bat out of the lineup, but he’s played only 27 games at first base over the past three years. If he plays first, that probably puts Kevin Youkilis on the bench.
Big picture
Rockies: Winners of 10 straight games and 21 of 22, the Rockies are headed to their first World Series after sweeping Philadelphia and Arizona in the N.L. playoffs. They joined the 1976 Cincinnati Reds of Big Red Machine fame as the only teams to win seven consecutive games in the postseason. … Colorado makes it six straight years that a wild-card team has advanced to the World Series. … Colorado starters posted a 1.66 ERA in the NLCS.
Red Sox: After ending an 86-year title drought in 2004, the Red Sox are looking for their second World Series championship in four seasons. They swept the Los Angeles Angels in the first round of the playoffs, then fell behind Cleveland 3-1 in the A.L. Championship Series before winning three straight to take the pennant. No stranger to October comebacks, Boston completed its latest one by winning Game 7 on Sunday night at Fenway Park. … Pitching has been Boston’s strong point, led by Josh Beckett. He posted his first 20-win season and became the first 20-game winner in the majors since 2005.
Watch for
“Closing time: Rockies relievers had a 1.60 ERA in the N.L. playoffs, allowing five runs in 28 innings. In the Boston bullpen, Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon were outstanding in the playoffs.
“Home sweet home: Colorado went 50-31 at home during the regular season and 3-0 during the playoffs. The Red Sox were 51-30 at home during the regular season and 5-1 in the playoffs.
“Dynamic duo: The 1-2 punch of Ortiz and Manny Ramirez overpowered the Angels and Indians.
“October aces: Boston’s Beckett, Curt Schilling and Daisuke Matsuzaka have all excelled in big games. Jeff Francis, 26, is Colorado’s homegrown ace. He went 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in two playoff starts.