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NOMAR GARCIAPARRA |
THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
The
Sox batters bolster Curt Schilling
June 22, 2004 ... Tonight
the Red Sox cracked three homers - including an emphatic grand slam by Nomar Garciaparra - to complement seven strong innings by Curt Schilling in a 9-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins before 35,261 at Fenway Park.
Part of the offensive story was the Sox having a lineup that resembled for the first time this season the one that set records last year. Catcher Jason Varitek, who has had to bat higher in the lineup most of the season, was back at the bottom (eighth), and David Ortiz, Ramirez, Garciaparra,
and Trot Nixon were in spots 3 through 6. Ramirez reached base four times (including a pair of walks), Ortiz homered and doubled, Garciaparra hit the slam in his fourth at-bat, and Nixon doubled in the seventh and was robbed in the fourth on a great catch by right fielder Jacque Jones.
Ortiz, Ramirez, and Garciaparra knocked in eight of the nine runs.
The Sox broke open a 3-1 game in the seventh with six runs. Ortiz's double knocked in Johnny Damon for the fourth run, following Mark Bellhorn's single. Ramirez was walked intentionally to load the bases for Garciaparra, who launched reliever Joe Roa's first pitch into the center-field
bleachers, the fifth grand slam of his career. Garciaparra had a frustrating night at the plate (0 for 3) before the home run, his first since returning to the lineup June 9. He hadn't hit a grand slam since July 23, 2002, against Tampa Bay at Fenway.
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CURT SCHILLING |
Schilling improved to 9-4 and his ERA dropped to 3.17 in his 15th start. Every time he pitches, the Sox brass holds its collective breath because of his balky right ankle, but there was no reason for concern last night: He gave up just four hits, while striking out five and walking none.
Schilling was pitching for the first time since being rocked for nine hits and seven runs (five earned) in a 7-3 loss at Colorado last Wednesday. He returned to Boston after that game and had an MRI, which showed no further harm to the bruised bone. Schilling has been taking a shot of the
pain medication Marcaine prior to his starts, and he has responded well. The only run he allowed was due in large part to a misplay of Matthew LeCroy's drive to the triangle in center field. Damon lost track of the ball and watched it sail over his head for a double, scoring Jacque
Jones in the fifth. Damon made up for his miscue with back-to-back outstanding plays in the sixth. He crashed against the wall to rob Luis Rivas of extra bases, then ran down a liner toward the left-center gap by Cristian Guzman.
Schilling was very stingy. He did allow two hits in the second inning, but got out of it when Garciaparra ran down LeCroy's single down the third base line and threw out Torii Hunter trying to go from first to third. Schilling retired the side in order in the first, third, fourth, and sixth.
The three home runs the Sox hit last night gave them 43 at home, one more than they have on the road. Since 1997, the Sox have had more homers on the road (776) than at home (655). |
