Baseball

22-year-old Michael Wacha became the 17th-youngest pitcher to win a World Series game when he defeated the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 on Thursday night.

The rookie was still highly effective, despite lacking the outstanding command he demonstrated in his previous three postseason starts; he ultimately allowed two runs on three hits and four walks with five strikeouts over seven impressive innings.

Let the shopping begin.

Twenty-five days have passed since the Cubs' final regular-season game, and the team has already begun to make moves. The Cubs started off by firing their manager, Dale Sveum, on October 1 merely hours after their regular-season finale against the St. Louis Cardinals.

With the World Series all tied up at one game apiece and with the series heading to St. Louis, Game 3 will be a pivotal moment. Each team is looking to pick up a lot of momentum with a win.

There are a number of players that each team will be counting on to step up and deliver a strong performance on baseball's biggest stage.

Each team has multiple keys to winning this game and whichever team has those important players perform best will be the one that walks away with the victory.

The first two games of the 2013 World Series have been headlined by leather.

With the St. Louis Cardinals only three wins away from the 2013 World Series title, the team and its fans would obviously be disappointed if this October run ended without a championship.

Grant Balfour has been a force at the back of the Oakland Athletics' bullpen for the last three years, but could be on his way out now that his contract has expired.

The fast-approaching end to the Philadelphia Phillies' television rights contract with Comcast is the team's best hope for a quick reversal of fortune.

Here's what'll go down in Cleveland once the season ends. The Indians will exercise Ubaldo Jimenez's $8 million club option. Jimenez will then exercise his right to decline, however, as stipulated in his contract.

The 2013 World Series is all knotted up after the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals split the first two games. With the series now shifting to St. Louis, both teams are in desperation mode, as a 1-1 series signals the opportunity for momentum to be won in Game 3.

The question is, which players are under the most pressure to lead their teams as the World Series progresses?

The World Series, like any league's championship playoff round, is a time for fans to bathe in the hype surrounding their favorite team. The 2013 World Series involving the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals is no different from any sport in that regard.