It wasn’t exactly a shocker, but after batting .688 with two homers, David Ortiz was named World Series MVP following Boston’s Game 6 victory over the Cardinals.
Ortiz tied World Series and postseason records with four walks and three intentional walks in the Game 6 victory. He came around to score after two of them. He struck out in his lone official at-bat, dropping his average from .733 to .688.
Ortiz also earlier tied Billy Hatcher’s World Series record (1990 Reds) by reaching base in nine straight plate appearances between Games 3, 4 and 5. He hit both of his homers and drove in five of his six runs in Games 1 and 2.
To say Ortiz was Boston’s leading hitter would be one of the great understatements of our time. The batting averages of the nine Red Sox to play tonight:
.250 (Jacoby Ellsbury)
.208 (Dustin Pedroia)
.688
.154 (Mike Napoli)
.118 (Jonny Gomes)
.154 (Shane Victorino)
.238 (Xander Bogaerts)
.158 (Stephen Drew)
.188 (David Ross)
Still, there was some competition for MVP in the form of Jon Lester, who allowed just one run over 15 1/3 innings in winning Games 1 and 5.
The World Series MVP honor is a first for Ortiz, who is now a three-time world champion. He did win ALCS MVP in 2004 against the Yankees.
