The Boston Red Sox, starting out the 2013 World Series on a win, closed Game 5 with a win as well. The Sox are now 3-2 against the St. Louis Cardinals, tonight’s 3-1 run win inching them closer to the third Series win in a decade.

Should the Cardinals take Game 6, Game 7 would be played on Halloween night. Fans on both sides are voicing optimism for Game 6 at Fenway Park, as is the Sox’ manager, John Farrell, saying, “The fact is we’re going home. Going back to a place that our guys love to play in, in front of our fans.”

The star of the Series, at least as of tonight, is David Ortiz who tied a World Series record for reaching base in nine consecutive plate appearances. The tie is with record-holder Billy Hatcher from the 1990 Series. Big Papi, who some experts have reported is, “single-handedly killing,” the Cards, entered Monday as a career .436/.540/.795 hitter in 12 World Series games and for the first four games of this Series, he’d reached .727/.750/1.364. Ortiz left after legging out a hit but Farrell reports that he’s ok.

Ortiz is one hit away from tying the record for most hits in a World Series; he would share the record with Marty Barrett of the Red Sox (1986 Series), Lou Brock of the Cardinals (1968 Series) and Bobby Richardson of the Yankees (1964 Series). Papi however has a chance for a series that is the stuff of dreams, while his three predecessors needed all seven games of the series to reach the record, he is almost there entering Game 6.

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Pitcher Jon Lester probably qualifies as the other star of the game, allowing one run and four hits in seven 2-3 innings and, without a walk, striking out seven. Lester about repeat his opener routing of Adam Wainwright.

Lester said, “I think the biggest thing is me and Rossy (David Ross) have had a good rhythm. Early on, we just went back to our game plan from Game 1 and just fell back on that and really just tried to make them swing the bats early, and we were able to do that.”

[Image via MLB Facebook.]