GABE KAPLER

THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
The Red Sox win an exciting one

April 19, 2004 ... Facing the undefeated ace of the defending American League champions, the Red Sox yesterday had little choice but to send out their third-string first baseman (David McCarty), their third-string second baseman (Cesar Crespo), their backup shortstop (Pokey Reese), their reserve right fielder (Gabe Kapler), and the projected sixth starter in their five-man rotation (Bronson Arroyo).

Consider the odds, especially after the Yankees spotted their ace, Kevin Brown, a 4-1 lead while the shorthanded Sox looked like Keystone Kops amid an early rash of pitching, fielding, and base running gaffes.

Then consider the outcome. In a memorable comeback that unfolded with thick black smoke from a nearby fire swirling above, a scene so dramatic general manager Theo Epstein momentarily feared the crowd of 35,027 at Fort Apache, the Fens, was bearing witness to the apocalypse, the Sox defied the odds and elements to outlast the Yankees, 5-4, in a Patriots Day thriller.

Kapler, who appeared clueless when he twice lost track of how many outs there were in the second inning, ultimately helped propel the Sox to their third victory of the four-game showdown by singling home McCarty with the decisive run with two out in the eighth. Kapler smacked a 94-mile-an-hour fastball from former Sox closer Tom Gordon for his slice of redemption.

Kapler was far from alone among the bit players making a difference. McCarty, who strode to the plate hitless in nine at-bats this season as he tries to prolong the day until he trades his cleats for a front office job, cleared the way for Kapler's star turn by taking a mighty cut against Gordon.

But Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez sensed something good coming of it as his Yankee counterpart, Hideki Matsui, began to track the ball. First, Matsui said, he lost the ball in the sun as McCarty began running. And by the time Matsui spotted the ball, the wind began to carry it away from him, leaving him only to lunge without touching it as it dropped for a double.

The Sox also needed to be good to hold the lead. And closer Keith Foulke was better than good as he faced the top of the Yankee order in the ninth, even if he needed a little help from Ramirez. After Foulke fanned Derek Jeter for the first out, Bernie Williams scorched a shot toward the scoreboard in left. Ramirez, who had committed an embarrassing error in the first game of the series by flubbing a routine fly ball by Jason Giambi, ran down the shot by Williams just as he crashed into the Monster, banging his head, shoulder, and elbow against the scoreboard.

Still, the Sox seemed in peril as Alex Rodriguez approached the plate. Never mind that Rodriguez was hitless in his previous 16 at-bats. Wrong. Rodriguez singled, which made Ramirez's catch seem even more crucial. Then Foulke caught the next batter, Giambi, looking at a third strike to end the game.

They can thank a few other key contributors, including Alan Embree and Mike Timlin, who combined for 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. David Ortiz went 3 for 4 and drove in two runs, including the tying run in the seventh. Reese mustered two hits and scored the tying run, and Varitek scored twice. But almost everyone in the Sox clubhouse afterward saved some praise for Arroyo, who overcame a shaky start to ration the Yankees only the four runs. Epstein said Arroyo epitomized the Sox in their second come-from-behind win of the season.