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CURT SCHILLING |
THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
The Red Sox bats smash Chicago
August 20, 2004 ... Curt Schilling eased some escalating concern about his staying power by dominating
the White Sox with one of his finest performances of the season. Manny Ramirez shrugged off his sluggish second half and smacked the 16th grand slam of his career, tying him with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Dave Kingman, and Robin Ventura for sixth place on the all-time list (Ramirez joined Ventura as baseball's active leaders in
grand slams). Orlando Cabrera won over a few more hearts in Nomar Country by cranking a three-run homer to help the Sox glide to a 10- 1 victory before 38,720 on a bizarre Elvis Tribute Night at sold out US Cellular Field. Cabrera also doubled home Dave Roberts in the ninth inning for Boston's 10th run.
Schilling had the White Sox all shook up as he blanked them on three hits and a hit batsman over seven innings. Just six days after he surrendered a pair of home runs in the first inning against them at Fenway Park and expressed disappointment about his stuff, Schilling needed to fire only
79 pitches as he manhandled the White Sox, improving to 15-6 with a 3.45 ERA.
As welcome as Schilling's virtuoso outing was, so was Ramirez's slam after he entered the game batting only .224 with four homers and 10 RBIS since the All-Star break. Ramirez, who went 2 for 3 with a walk, could do wonders for the Sox if he finishes the season like he did last year, when he
batted .375 with six homers and 14 RBIs in September.
And what if Cabrera, who entered the game batting .214, continues his recent pace? Cabrera, who tried so hard to prove himself playing in Garciaparra's shadow that he struggled mightily his first couple of weeks with the Sox, went 2 for 4 with a walk to improve to .400 (8 for 20) over his
last five games.
The Sox also amassed four runs from their leadoff hitters, three from Johnny Damon and one from Roberts, while second baseman Ricky Gutierrez went 2 for 4, scored twice, and made a couple of nice plays in the field. Ramiro Mendoza allowed the only White Sox run, in the eighth inning, before
Curtis Leskanic pitched a scoreless ninth. Ramirez, Cabrera, and Co. throttled Chicago starter Mark Buehrle for nine runs (seven earned) on 11 hits and a pair of walks over six- plus inning, handing Buehrle his first career loss against the Sox.
Schilling frustrated the White Sox at every turn. The only threat they could muster through the first six innings was Everett's triple leading off the fifth inning. But Schilling overpowered the next three batters. |
