World Series GM 4: Potential sweep is in Lester's hands

Game 4 @ Colorado 825 EST FOX
Jon Lester (0-0, 4.25) vs. Aaron Cook (NR)
Boston leads series, 3-0

STARTING LINEUPS:

Colorado-
1. Kazuo Matsui 2B
2. Troy Tulowitzki SS
3. Matt Holliday LF
4. Todd Helton 1B
5. Garrett Atkins 3B
6. Ryan Spilborghs CF
7. Brad Hawpe RF
8. Yorvit Torrealba C
9. Aaron Cook P

Boston-
1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
2. Dustin Pedroia 2B
3. David Ortiz 1B
4. Manny Ramirez LF
5. Mike Lowell 3B
6. J.D. Drew RF
7. Jason Varitek C
8. Julio Lugo SS
9. Jon Lester P

And so it's come to this.

Jon Lester, the 24-year-old lefty who fought the toughest real-life opponent of all, The Big C, and won, has been entrusted with winning one of the biggest games in Boston Red Sox history.

A victory tonight would simultaneously elate Boston's Nation and infuriate its legions of haters, and who better elicit those kinds of emotions than a man who has stared cancer in the eye and said "I will not be defeated by you", who not only overcame the disease but returned as an above-average young major league pitcher?

And now, 13 months after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, that courageous young starter finds himself starting a potential World Series-deciding game. In his first career playoff start.

Funny how life turns out sometimes.

The Red Sox can wrap up their second Series sweep in four years tonight with another win in frosty Colorado, and as long as the offense keeps producing like it has for most of this postseason, Lester won't have to worry about shutting out the Rockies lineup.

Boston has been scalding the ball all over the yard this postseason, averaging nearly 7 1/2 runs per game in 13 games while scoring in double digits in six of those contests, and with the new lineup in place, rookies Ellsbury leading off and Pedroia batting second, setting the table for the heart of the lineup, it looks as if there is no stopping this team of destiny.

The job of trying to slow down the Sox juggernaut falls on the right shoulder of 28-year-old Colorado starter Aaron Cook, a man who also has survived life-threatening illness as well as season-stalling injury to find his way to the mound as a World Series starter.

After overcoming blood clots on his lungs in 2004, Cook went on to become one of the Rockies most reliable starters over the last two years. He was Colorado's opening day starter this year, but a rib injury sidelined him for two months in early August, and he hasn't pitched in a major league game since August 10th.

Now he will be entrusted with extending Colorado's magical season at least for one more night.

Two starters who have overcome enormous obstacles to get to the game's biggest stage as the World Series title hangs in the balance. Two teams that have appeared to be on destined paths, riding surreal highs and improbable wins all the way to the brink of greatness.

But only one club will walk away from this series with a satisfied feeling.

I've already got the bottle of bubbly and Montecristo waiting, fellas.

Let's end it tonight.