The St. Louis Cardinals are hoping to delay the Boston Red Sox from winning the World Series Wednesday night at Fenway Park, but en route to attempting to do that the Cards got delayed themselves--by mechanical issues with their plane.
ESPN reports that as the Red Sox were concluding their warm-ups Tuesday afternoon and the sun was setting over Fenway Park, the Cardinals were stuck on the runway back in St. Louis. Cardinals' manager Mike Matheny spoke with the media in Boston from the plane as it was still stuck on the runway.
"Yeah, we've been sitting on the runway for a while," Matheny told ESPN. "But everybody seems to be doing all right. We're fortunate that our club allows our families to travel with us. We have some younger kids. But I'm impressed with how everybody has handled it."
The second-year manager added: "Fortunately we have plenty of food, snacks for the kids, lots of entertainment with on-board movies, and everybody travels with all their high-tech stuff. Most of these kids are pretty happy that they're not in school right now, and it's a great way to spend a day, and no complaints so far."
Matheny noted that the team wasn't scheduled to undergo a workout day at Fenway Park so the delay didn't hamper it that much. The Cardinals eventually touched down in Boston at 11:00 p.m., a whole seven hours and nine minutes later than the team originally was scheduled to get in.
St. Louis dropped its final two home games in the World Series against Boston after winning the opening home contest in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead. The Cardinals took one of the first two games at Fenway but have put themself in quite a predicament, having to win two games in a row in front of a raucous Boston crowd in order to win the World Series as they trail 3-2.
The Cardinals take their first stab at it tonight when Michael Wacha (4-0, 1.00 ERA postseason) takes on John Lackey (5-5 3.14 ERA in postseason all-time) of the Boston Red Sox. Lackey won a World Series-clinching game with the Angels in 2002. Wacha wasn't too worried about the delay.
"Everyone is just watching movies," Wacha told ESPN during the delay from the plane. "They've got dinner on here for us and stuff. Everyone is just walking around. Nobody is in a bad mood or anything like that. The attitude is pretty good."
MLB.com reported that two of the three computer navigation systems on the plane weren't working a second plane eventually had to be brought in.
David Ortiz, who could be set to be the World Series Most Valuable Player if the Red Sox win since he's hitting .733 with two homers and six RBIs thus far in the series, said he just hoped the Cardinals got in safely.
"When I have a delay on a flight, I don't get mad. We don't play around with that. Hopefully they get here safe," he said per ESPN.
The Cardinals will put the delay behind them and try to stave off the red-hot Red Sox twice at Fenway in order to win their third World Series since 2006.
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