The St. Louis Cardinals are now feeling a lot like the Boston Red Sox did in the ALCS after taking Game 2 of the World Series to even things up at 1 game each.

Members of the Cardinals also made sure to keep their noses out of the newspapers before heading to Fenway for Game 2; the media acted as if such a disastrous Game 1 would translate into a downward spiral.

Suddenly, the Cards are heading back to the comfortable confines of St. Louis for Games 3, 4, and 5, where either team could lock down the series with a three-game winning streak from here on out.

The Red Sox had more fight than the Cards did the day before as Boston answered St Louis' first run with two runs of their own thanks to David Ortiz's two-run shot to make it 2-1 Boston after 6 innings. St. Louis answered with three runs in the seventh to seal the game for good.

Playoff star Carlos Beltran was hospitalized a day before with bruised ribs and managed to inject painkillers to numb the pain in time for Game 2.

"Somebody would have to kill me in order for me to get out of the lineup," he said.

On the mound for St. Louis, Michael Wacha pitched six solid innings, giving up a pair of runs while fanning six. John Lackey threw six and a third innings and didn't do much worse, giving up three runs on five hits.

Both squads will have the day off on Friday before Game 3 on Saturday.