Projo Sox Blog

Each of tonight's Game 1 starters -- the Angels' John Lackey and the Red Sox' Jon Lester -- belongs to the small fraternity of pitchers who have won the deciding game of a World Series. And both did it in their rookie seasons.

Lackey had just turned 24 when he took the mound for Game 7 of the 2002 World Series against the San Francisco Giants. He tossed five innings in that game, giving up four hits, a walk and one run while striking out four to pick up the victory as the Angels won, 4-1. Lackey also pitched 2.1 innings of relief in Game 2, which the Angels won, 11-10, and he was the starting pitcher in Game 4, getting a no-decision in a game the Giants won.

In the American League Championship Series that same season, Lackey made a name for himself by pitching seven shutout innings to beat the Minnesota Twins in Game 4.

For his career, Lackey's postseason stats are solid: he's 4-2 with a 3.63 E.R.A. in nine appearances, including seven starts. But his two most recent postseason starts were his least effective: He gave up five runs in five innings and took the loss in Game 3 of the 2005 American League Championship Series against the White Sox; and he gave up four runs in six innings while being outdueled by Josh Beckett in Game 1 of the 2007 American League Division Series against the Red Sox.

That was Lackey's only postseason start against Boston; he did not pitch in the 2004 ALDS. In the regular-season, he is a career 3-6 pitcher with a 5.54 E.R.A. against the Red Sox, but he won both of his starts against Boston this season.

Lester, of course, won Game 4 of the 2007 World Series by pitching 5.2 shutout innings against the Colorado Rockies. That was Lester's first postseason start following two relief appearances in the American League Championship Series against the Indians. His postseason debut did not go well -- he gave up two runs while working two-thirds of an inning in Game 2 of the ALCS, which Cleveland won, 13-6. But he rebounded by throwing three scoreless innings against the Indians in Game 4, which Boston also lost.

Lester did not pitch against the Angels in last year's ALDS. He is 1-1 with a 7.78 E.R.A. in four regular-season starts against the Angels. He faced them once this season, giving up four runs in five innings and taking a no-decision.

 Tags  John Lackey Jon Lester Los Angeles Angels MLB playoffs

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