All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Cardinals, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Wacha beats former mates: This had to be an emotional game for Red Sox starter Michael Wacha, who came up in the Cardinals organization and still has a number of close friends on the team. Making it all the more special was being matched against 42-year-old Adam Wainwright, who served as Wacha's mentor when the latter broke into the big leagues in 2013. For much of the night, Wacha said he tried to avoid making eye contact with those he knew and instead focused on getting the job done. He succeeded there, allowing just one run over 5.1 innings. But after, he acknowledged it was a game and matchup he'd never forget. "(Wainwright) was the guy who kind of took me under his wing,'' said Wacha. "He had a huge influence on my game and my career, so looking back now, getting to share a mound with him with pretty freaking special.''
Story does it all: Trevor Story, who came into the game with just three hits in his previous 24 at-bats, delivered a big, two-run single to right field in the fourth inning, putting the Sox ahead to stay. The two RBI gave Story 42, good for fifth in the American League. But beyond the big hit, Story made a number of superb plays in the field, several times ranging behind the second base bag, then making strong throws to first. "I know it's been a grind for him,'' said Alex Cora. "But he doesn't take a play off. Right now, I can say that he's probably the best second baseman in the big leagues.''
Bullpen provides a scare: Red Sox relievers did a nice job from the sixth through the eighth, as John Schreiber and Matt Strahm combined for eight outs to get the Sox to the ninth. Austin Davis then got the first two outs quickly, and it looked to be a routine ninth inning. But then Davis gave up two hits and hit a batter, requiring Tanner Houck to enter a game in which the Sox led by five to start the inning. Houck struggled, too, allowing consecutive run-scoring doubles before finally slipping a called third strike past the dangerous Paul Goldschmidt with the potential tying run at second base. It's never routine in the ninth for the Sox.
TURNING POINT
In the seventh inning, the Red Sox had a run in and led 4-1 when Rafael Devers came to the plate with runners at second and third. Devers took one of his patented wild swings and hit the ball off the end of his bat, sending it down an unguarded third base line and into left field, scoring two runs. Those proved especially important in the ninth when the Sox nearly frittered away the lead, and the hit served as a reminder just how difficult it is to pitch to Devers, since his aggressiveness and ability to cover so much of the plate makes him dangerous in any situation.
TWO UP
Xander Bogaerts: The hitting machine continues, with yet another three-hit night -- one double and two singles.
John Schreiber: The Sox turned to Schreiber in the sixth when Wacha was lifted with one out and two on, and Schreiber got those two outs and another two in the seventh.
TWO DOWN
Christian Vazquez: After getting his average over .300 during the West Coast trip, Vazquez has suddenly cooled at the plate again and took an 0-for-4 in the win.
J.D. Martinez: Martinez had a single and scored a run in the fourth, but in his three other at-bats, hit into a double play, then twice ended innings with baserunners in scoring position.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I grew up, like, 15 minutes from there, so I went to a lot of Cardinals games growing up, watched a lot on TV. So, yeah, it was really cool facing my hometown team.'' Tanner Houck, who got the save.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The Sox improved to 12-3 in June.
* The Sox have the opening game in 10 of their last 12 series.
* Though he's played in just six games, Jarren Duran leads the team in triples with two.
* Austin Davis was charged with three runs in the ninth inning after having 13 scoreless appearances and giving up just one in his previous 22 outings.
* Michael Wacha has a 1.03 ERA in five starts at Fenway Park this season.
* Bobby Dalbec is 3-for-7 as a pinch-hitter this season.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Cardinals continue their series Saturday at 7:15 p.m. with RHP Kutter Crawford (1-1, 5.74) vs. RHP Dakota Hudson (4-3, 3.29)