Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - David Ortiz hit a two-run homer off Michael Wacha in the sixth inning to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead over the Cardinals in Game 2 of the World Series on Thursday night.
Ortiz lined a 3-2 off-speed pitch into the first row of seats on top of Fenway Park's Green Monster in left field, making the Red Sox the first team in more than a month to score two runs off the Cardinals rookie.
The Red Sox lead the series 1-0 after an 8-1 win on Wednesday night.
Matt Holliday hit a leadoff triple in the fourth inning and scored St. Louis' run in Game 2.
It was the first lead for the Cardinals in their last six World Series games against the Red Sox but Wacha couldn't make it last through six.
The 22-year-old righty, 3-0 in his three postseason starts coming in, walked four, gave up three hits and struck out six through six innings. It was the first time he allowed more than one run since Sept. 19, when he gave up four at Colorado.
Boston right-hander John Lackey, in his first World Series start since winning Game 7 as a rookie for the Angels in 2002, allowed four hits and a walk and struck out five through six innings.
Holliday tripled off the low center field wall, the first runner to make it past first base. Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia dove to snare Matt Adams' knuckling liner for the first out, but Holliday made it home on Yadier Molina's slow infield chopper. With no play at home, Pedroia went to first to get Molina.
Pedroia doubled off the Green Monster in left field to lead off the bottom of the fourth and Ortiz walked, but Mike Napoli grounded into a double play and Jonny Gomes popped out to end the inning.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia drew a leadoff walk in the fifth, but the Red Sox left him at first base.
Adams singled off third baseman Xander Bogaerts' glove with two outs in the top of the sixth, but he was stranded by the Cardinals.
Ortiz's homer, the 17th of his career in the postseason, scored Pedroia after a walk.
Earlier, Carlos Beltran -- back in the Cardinals lineup after leaving Game 1 with a rib injury -- got his first career World Series hit on a sliced single to left field in the first inning.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Saturday in St. Louis.
The Red Sox are riding several streaks.
They have won a franchise-record nine straight World Series games since losing Game 7 to the Mets in 1986. That includes sweeps of the Cardinals in 2004 and the Rockies in 2007. They have won their last six World Series games at home.
The Cardinals have lost four straight World Series Game 2s, last winning one in 1985 at Kansas City.
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