Florida “Oh, Wonderful Day!”

“Blessing of goats in Florida?”

The Florida Marlins advanced to World Series by beating the Chicago Cubs.

Florida got the ticket to the World Series with a 9-6 win in Game 7 at Wrigley Field on October 16, winning the National League Championship Series with four victories and three defeats. It has been six years since it was the World Series champion in 1997.

Kerry Wood, who recorded two victories and no defeats in the post season, failed to hold an early lead, giving up seven hits (including a home run) during five and two third innings pitched and left the mound after giving up seven runs.

Down 5-3 in the fifth inning, Rodriguez doubled home a run and Cabreras tied it with an RBI grounder. Then, Derek Lee’s hit put Florida ahead, 6-5.

Luis Castillo hit an RBI single in the sixth, which was so hard that it hit the pitcher’s glove, and another RBI single followed it.

In the American League, the Boston Red Sox gained a 9-6 victory over New York Yankees with 16 hits, and the series is now tied at 3-3 each. The final game, Game 7, will decide who will go on to the World Series.

In Game 7 at Yankee Stadium on October 17, Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez, aces of the Yankees and Red Sox respectively, will square off as they did in Game 3 on October 12.

Chang Jeon jeon@donga.com