Red Sox will play Rockies in Series

~ Boston defeated Cleveland 11-2 in Game 7 of the ALCS.

BOSTON -- Daisuke Matsuzaka, Dustin Pedroia and these Boston Red Sox are taking a sweet streak into the World Series, too.

Boston charged to its third straight win, completing yet another October comeback by overpowering the Cleveland Indians 11-2 on Sunday night in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series behind a new pair of rookie Sox.

Matsuzaka pitched five solid innings, Pedroia drove in five runs and the Red Sox -- helped by a key blunder by an Indians base coach -- finished off their rally from a 3-1 deficit.

Having ended their 86-year title drought in 2004 after digging out of a 3-0 hole against the Yankees in the ALCS, the Red Sox now have a date with the Colorado Rockies in the World Series. The Rockies, who have won 10 in a row and 21 of 22, will come back from a record eight days off for Game 1 at Fenway Park on Wednesday night.

Umpire Brian Gorman, left, calls Cleveland Indians' Kenny Lofton out trying to stretch a hit to a double after being tagged by Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (15) in the fifth inning in Game 7 of the American League Championship baseball series Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, at Fenway Park in Boston. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

"We started to click at the right time," Pedroia said. "When your team's back is against the wall, it shows the type of ballclub we have. We're down 3-1 and we believed."

Colorado outscored Boston 20-5 in winning two of three during an interleague series at Fenway in June. The Red Sox did even better in winning the last three games against the Indians, outscoring them 30-5 in that span.

While Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz and ALCS MVP Josh Beckett helped the Red Sox win their 12th pennant, the Indians only added more misery to a city that hasn't celebrated a World Series championship since 1948.

The Indians were a double-play grounder from winning the crown at Florida in 1997. They appeared to take control of this series with three consecutive victories, but aces C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona failed to close it out.

Jake Westbrook pitched valiantly in Game 7, and still the Indians came up short. They had a chance to tie it 3-3 in the seventh inning, but third-base coach Joel Skinner mistakenly held up speedy Kenny Lofton as he rounded the bag.

Cleveland Indians fan Jon Brittain cheers as he watches a live telecast of Game 7 of the American League Championship baseball series between the Indians and the Boston Red Sox at Jacobs Field, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Joseph Darwal)

With runners at the corners, Casey Blake grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Then, the Red Sox blew it open. Pedroia, who homered earlier, hit a three-run double and Kevin Youkilis launched a bottle rocket, a two-run drive off the giant Coke bottle above the Green Monster.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched two innings for a save and Boston finished it off in style. Center fielder Coco Crisp racing back into the center-field triangle to catch Blake's drive for the final out before crashing into the wall.

Boston kept the bases busy early against Westbrook, but three double plays in the first four innings kept the Indians in the game while their starter settled down. The Red Sox scored once in each of the first three innings, and Matsuzaka retired the first eight batters he faced.

Cleveland cut the deficit to 3-2 through five innings.