(SportsNetwork. Vans Old Skool White Sale .com) - There hasnt been a better starting pitcher this postseason than St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha. The Cardinals will need their rookie to be sharp once again if they want to avoid going home in an 0-2 World Series hole. St. Louis and Wacha try to even the best-of-seven Fall Classic at a game apiece tonight when they play Game 2 versus the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The 2012 first-rounder, who was the compensation pick the Cardinals received from the Los Angeles Angels when Albert Pujols left as a free agent, has been absolutely magnificent this postseason. He outdueled Los Angeles Clayton Kershaw twice in the NLCS and has won all three of his postseason starts, while pitching to a 0.43 ERA. "I want the ball in big situations," Wacha said. "Theres none bigger than the World Series." Since closing the regular season with 8 2/3 no-hit innings, Wacha, the NLCS MVP, has pitched 21 postseason innings, limiting the Pittsburgh Pirates and Dodgers to one run on eight hits. "He throws hard," Boston outfielder Shane Victorino said. "Thats about all I know. Ill watch some video, see what he features. I understand hes good. Thats why he was NLCS MVP, not for any reason besides the fact that hes good." St. Louis will need him to be on his game Thursday after it was shut down by Jon Lester in Game 1. Lester limited the Cardinals to five hits and struck out eight over 7 2/3 scoreless innings as Boston took Game 1, 8-1. The Red Sox jumped on Adam Wainwright early via Mike Napolis three-run double in the first inning, and David Ortiz added a home run and three RBI in the rout -- Bostons ninth straight World Series victory. St. Louis did not record an extra-base hit against Lester (1-0), committed three errors and lost All-Star slugger Carlos Beltran to a right rib contusion in the second inning when the right fielder robbed Ortiz of a grand slam. "We had a wake-up call," said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny. "This is not the kind of team that weve been all season. And theyre frustrated, Im sure embarrassed to a point. Youre going to have games like that periodically. But if you begin to accept that, then this could really not go anywhere." X-rays and a CT scan came back negative, and Beltran is considered day-to-day. Wainwright (0-1) only lasted five frames after getting touched for five runs -- three earned -- on six hits for the NL champs, whose only offense came on Matt Hollidays home run in the ninth. "We went right after them. We pounded them in," said Lester, who became the third pitcher in World Series history to post scoreless starts in his first two Fall Classic outings. "We wanted to set the tone and get them swinging." History could be on the Red Sox side as nine of the last 10 and 14 of the previous 16 Game 1 winners have gone on to win the series. Also, since 1993, every home team to win Game 1 has gone on to win the World Series. Boston will turn to another battle-tested veteran in Game 2 in John Lackey, who hasnt pitched in the World Series since Game 7 in 2002, when -- as a rookie -- he led the Angels to their first championship. "It is a big game," Lackey said. "Theres no running from that. And its something youve got to embrace. Its something youve got to enjoy." If anyone doubted whether or not Lackey was fully recovered from Tommy John surgery they need to look no further than his Game 3 performance against the Detroit Tigers that saw him outduel Justin Verlander and give control of the ALCS to the Red Sox. Lackey, who will be pitching on eight days rest Thursday night, tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings in that one and is 2-0 this postseason with a 3.00 ERA. "This is a veteran with a lot of success in the past, including postseason success," said Red Sox skipper John Farrell. "Given the challenges hes come through in the time hes been in Boston, were glad hes not only come back from Tommy John, but regained the form he had pre-injury." Lackey has pitched to a 3.10 ERA in 91 postseason innings, but has never faced the Cardinals at any point in his 11-year career. "Theyre good," said Lackey, who had a 2.47 ERA at home this season. "Theyre in the World Series. Theres no bad teams left. Theyve got a really good offense. Its really deep. Really similar to an American League lineup, for sure." Game 3 of this series is scheduled for Saturday at Busch Stadium. Vans Sk8-Hi Shoes For Sale . Head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed on Sunday that his starting goalie has a head injury and the team will take it day by day. Cheap Vans Sk8 Hi Shoes . -- Andy Dorman and Kelyn Rowe scored in the second half to lead the New England Revolution to a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of their Eastern Conference semifinals series on Saturday night. http://www.vansshoesclearancesale.com/vans-sk8-hi-clearance/sk8-hi-leather.html . In his first game with Boston University, the 17-year-old Eichel picked up five assists as his Boston University Terriers thumped St. ATLANTA -- Its over. This time, the Indiana Pacers had a successful regular-season trip to Atlanta. David West scored 22 points, Paul George added 18 and the NBA-leading Pacers beat the Hawks 89-85 on Tuesday night. "This has been a tough place for us, but I thought we came in with the right motivation tonight," West said. "They blitzed us the last time we were down here." The Pacers most recent win in Atlanta came last May in the clinching Game 6 of their first-round playoff series. But Indiana (38-10) had dropped its last 12 regular-season games at the Hawks, including a 97-87 decision on Jan. 8. "I dont have to answer questions about it anymore, so thats good," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. "Weve had some struggles here, but its not anything we were losing sleep over." Atlanta (25-22) failed to place a starter in double figures. It had won two straight and five of seven. Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver had nine points apiece for the Hawks. All-Star forward Paul Millsap went 2 for 11 from the field and finished with seven points. Teague made a 3-pointer to give Atlanta a 41-35 lead with 1:06 left in the second quarter, but the Hawks were outscored 38-16 over the next 17 minutes. Cartier Martins 3 cut Indianas lead to 86-84 with 14.9 seconds left. C.J. Watson and Danny Granger then combined for three free throws to help the Pacers hold on for the win. "Offensively, it just wasnt one of our better nights," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "I think you have to give Indiana and their defence credit for that." Elton Brand, a 14-year veteran, had 12 points and was the only Hawk to score in double figures before Mike Scott scored nine of his 15 points iin the fourth quarter. Vans Shoes Clearance. Scott said its no surprise that Atlantas offence couldnt get much going against a defence that holds opponents to just 90.2 points a game, lowest in the NBA. "Theyre very good," Scott said. "Thats why theyre the best team in the league defensively. We just missed open shots and couldnt get it in." The Pacers had not won in the regular season at Philips Arena since Dec. 22, 2006. "I thought our resolve took over," West said. "We were really precise with our movement and what we wanted to do. And we made plays when we needed to make plays." Ian Mahinmi gave Indiana its biggest lead of the game with a tip-in that made it 73-57 with 8:10 left. Pacers guard Lance Stephenson hit the floor hard on a layup at the 7:56 mark of the third, falling over Millsap in the lane and landing on his left shoulder and hip. Stephenson then converted the three-point play to make it 55-47, but he sat out the last 16 minutes. George stole the ball from rookie point guard Dennis Schroder late in the fourth and scored a fast-break layup to make it 82-74. "Our guys buckled down on the defensive end," Vogel said. "(Atlanta) made a few shots in the last minute or two, but for the most part we held a pretty explosive team down to 85 points. Thats a pretty good effort." NOTES: Indiana improved to 23-0 when holding opponents under 90 points. ... The Pacers are 10-3 since the loss in Atlanta on Jan. 8. ... Korver extended his NBA record to 116 consecutive games with a 3-pointer. Korver began his streak last season in Atlantas second game -- a win at Oklahoma City. ... The Pacers are 15-8 on the road, best in the Eastern Conference. ' ' '