ST. LOUIS -- Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell said "in hindsight" he should have avoided having rookie reliever Brandon Workman bat in the ninth inning of Saturday's Game 3 of the World Series.

Farrell said he should have instead performed a double-switch with his lineup in the middle of the eighth inning.

Specifically, Farrell said that after Jarrod Saltalamacchia grounded out to second base to end the top of the eighth, he should have removed Saltalamacchia and inserted Workman, who was entering the game to pitch the bottom of the eighth, in the No.7 spot in the order. He then could have substituted David Ross at catcher, with Ross batting ninth, in the pitcher's spot, which was the spot in the order that was due to bat second in the ninth inning.

Instead, Workman entered the game in the pitcher's spot. Farrell said he needed more than one inning from Workman, so he sent him to the plate to bat against Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal. He also said he decided to keep back the best hitter on his bench, Mike Napoli, because he thought the game was headed to extra innings.

Workman, who has never batted in pro ball -- either in the minor leagues or majors -- struck out on three pitches.

"I felt like if we get into an extended situation, which that game was looking like it was going to -- [I] held [Napoli] back in the event that spot came up again," Farrell said.

"Like I said, in hindsight having Workman hit against Rosenthal is a mismatch, I recognize it, but we needed more than one inning out of Workman."

The Red Sox went on to lose, 5-4, on an obstruction call in the bottom of the ninth. The Cardinals now have a 2-1 lead in the Series.