Gomes' 3-run HR gives Red Sox 4-1 lead

St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Jonny Gomes was a late addition to the Red Sox lineup Sunday night.

He has the game's biggest hit.

Gomes belted a three-run homer in the sixth inning to give Boston a 4-1 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 of the World Series.

Gomes' homer into the Red Sox bullpen behind left field came off reliever Seth Maness, who had just entered for St. Louis starter Lance Lynn.

Gomes started in left field for the Red Sox and Daniel Nava moved to right only after regular right fielder Shane Victorino was scratched from the Boston lineup because of lower back tightness.

The Cardinals lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 after they were awarded the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday night when Will Middlebrooks was called for obstructing Allen Craig's path to home plate.

Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz pitched just four innings, striking out two and walking three.

Lynn, pitching on 11 days' rest for the Cardinals, was charged with three runs in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked three.

Gomes delivered the big moment but David Ortiz has been Boston's spark. He was 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored and drew a walk in the sixth as the last batter Lynn faced. Dustin Pedroia had singled before that and both players scored on Gomes' hit.

Buchholz, who had a 1.74 ERA in the regular season but missed more than three months with a shoulder injury, hasn't made it past the six innings in any of his four starts this postseason. He threw 38 of his 66 pitches for strikes.

Carlos Beltran splintered his bat on an RBI single in the third inning that gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. Matt Carpenter scored from second base on the play after Jacoby Ellsbury bobbled his single in center field.

Ortiz, who had a leadoff broken-bat single in the second for Boston's first hit, doubled to right-center field leading off the fifth and the Red Sox loaded the bases after walks to Gomes and Xander Bogaerts.

Stephen Drew sliced a fly ball close to the line in left and Matt Holliday's throw hit Ortiz on the arm as he slid home to tie the game.