Cardinals thrilled for World Series shift to St. Louis

From the Green Monster to the Gateway Arch. From the Charles River to the mighty Mississippi. From clam chowder to toasted ravioli.

The World Series scene is shifting, and St. Louis ace Adam Wainwright couldn't be happier.

"We love Cardinal country," he said Friday.

For good reason, too. After Boston split the first two games at Fenway Park, now Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury and the rest of the Red Sox will get to see what makes this place so special.

Especially in October.

"Well, we love playing here at Busch Stadium. Like I said, it's a sea of red," pitcher Joe Kelly said.

The free-spirited Kelly was set to start Game 3 on Saturday night against Jake Peavy.

"This is what I've lived for my whole life — my whole baseball career, I should say," Peavy said. "I'm as prepared as I'll ever be — physically, mentally."

Also warmed up: A team of eight Clydesdales, ready to pull a red beer wagon around the warning track before the first pitch. It's also a tradition for fans to gather early at the Musial statue — there are two honouring Stan the Man, actually.

Red Sox closer Koji Uehara took a moment to soak it all in. As he walked onto the field for a workout, the first-time visitor looked at the gleaming Arch hovering high beyond the centre-field fence. 

'This is what I've lived for my whole life — my whole baseball career, I should say. I'm as prepared as I'll ever be — physically, mentally.'- Red Sox starter Jake Peavy

The Cardinals rely on a lot more than pomp when they play in their own park.

They led the NL in scoring while going 54-27 at Busch, and then let pitching take over in the post-season. St. Louis is 5-1 at home in the playoffs — in those five wins, opponents scored a total of five runs.

Boston has hit just .188 so far in the Series, with David Ortiz providing the biggest bop. He's homered in both games and is 4 for 6 overall with five RBIs.

With no designated hitter in the National League park, Ortiz will switch to first base. Manager John Farrell wouldn't say whether Ortiz would start there for every game in St. Louis, but it's a good guess regular first baseman Mike Napoli will be on the bench for a while.

Farrell also said lefty-swinging Daniel Nava would start in left field instead of Jonny Gomes, who is 0 for 7 so far.

"Obviously David's bat, at all costs, needs to be in the lineup," Peavy said. "David is a game-changer. He's as clutch as anybody I can remember playing with or against."

"It just seems like he has a flair for the dramatic. When the situation is the biggest, he's at his best," he said.

Ortiz hit a two-run homer off rookie sensation Michael Wacha in Game 2 that put Boston ahead 2-1 in the sixth inning, but St. Louis rallied in the seventh for a 4-2 win.

The Red Sox will spend this weekend at the stadium a few blocks from the Mississippi River.

"I believe our ballpark is very fair. I don't think there's one thing that would make our team any more effective in this park than any other," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "It's not like there's the oddities, like a Green Monster or deep corners and gaps."

"But you can't help but buy into the atmosphere, especially when you're at home and every single thing you do gets such a positive response," he said.

Kelly is glad to be home, all the way around.

"You get to sleep in your own bed. You get to do what you normally do on a regular basis," he said. "If you get coffee in the morning, you go to your coffee shop. It's just a comfort level to know that it's your home away from your off-season home."

For the Red Sox, this is their first visit to St. Louis since Ortiz hit a home run on June 8, 2005, in a win at the previous Busch Stadium. The new park opened the next year.

Kelly also had some friendly advice for Boston's first-time visitors. It involved a local favourite, a food that many are certain started in this city.

"Find some toasted raviolis, eat some. Those are good, especially in St. Louis," he said.

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