Cardinals take advantage of Red Sox mistakes, get 4-2 victory

BOSTON — After two games, the World Series has been far from a fall classic that Major League Baseball loves to declare on an annual basis.

But the Cardinals showed Thursday night they possess plenty of resiliency.

After rookie sensation Michael Wacha gave up a two-run homer to slugger David Ortiz, the Cardinals rebounded with the help of two Red Sox errors to score three runs in the seventh inning and seize a 4-2 victory at Fenway Park to tie the best-of-seven Series at 1-1.

“I believe it’s a momentum sport, and the statistics back it,” said Manager Mike Matheny, whose Cardinals rebounded from a sloppy 8-1 loss in Game 1.

The Cardinals scored only two runs in the first 15 innings of the Series before breaking through to help Wacha improve to 4-0 in the postseason while ending the Red Sox’s nine-game Series winning streak dating back to 2004.

It also changed the complexion of the Series for the Red Sox, who will start Jake Peavy, who has struggled in the postseason, and Clay Buchholz, who has a tender right shoulder, in the next two games.

“This time of the year, with what our guys have proven over the long haul, we’re looking forward to the challenge of going into what should be a great environment over in St. Louis,” Red Sox Manager John Farrell said.

The Cardinals rebounded after Ortiz’s homer by loading the bases with one out in the seventh against starter John Lackey and reliever Craig Breslow.

Matt Carpenter hit a game-tying sacrifice fly, and the throw from left field got past catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, allowing Pete Kozma to score and Jon Jay to advance to third. Breslow, who was backing up home plate, sailed a throw over third base and Jay scored the go-ahead run.

“Uncharacteristic of the way we’ve taken care of the baseball this year,” Farrell said.

Carlos Beltran, playing despite a bruised right rib, capped the rally with a single to score the third run and give the victory to Wacha, who extended his postseason scoreless streak to 182/3 innings before Ortiz hit his second homer in as many games and his 17th in postseason play.

“[Catcher] Yadier Molina said, ‘Just hold them here,’” Wacha said. “‘We’re going to score in the top of the seventh.’”

Beltran wasn’t cleared to play until taking a few swings about two hours before the game.

“When I left the ballpark [Wednesday], I had little hope I was going to be in the lineup,” said Beltran, who received a painkilling injection before the game.

Wacha gave up only three hits but threw 114 pitches to get through six innings. But seizing the lead enabled Matheny to go to rookies Carlos Martinez and Trevor Rosenthal, who combined to strike out six in the last three innings.

Matheny showed his faith in Martinez by allowing him to face Ortiz, who represented the tying run in the eighth. Ortiz singled to shallow right, but Martinez jammed Mike Napoli on a soft popup to end the threat.

mgonzalez@tribune.com