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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE September 19, 2004 ... The Sox endured an 11-1 whupping by the Yankees before 55,142 witnesses on 161st Street. In one of the shakiest outings of his career against his archrivals, Pedro Martinez experienced another first-inning flop and never fully recovered as he surrendered eight runs on eight hits, three walks and a hit batsman in a game the Sox sorely needed to win. Martinez never had allowed more than five runs in 25 starts against the Yankees. When Gary Sheffield hit a mistake from Martinez for a two-run shot in the first inning, the Yankees amassed all the runs they needed. The blast marked the eighth home run Martinez has allowed in 31 first innings this year. By contrast, he allowed only seven long balls in 168 first innings in his Sox career before this season, according to statistician Chuck Waseleski. The maelstrom engulfed Martinez - he found himself in an 8-1 hole by the time Timlin stepped in. Martinez dropped to 10-9 in his career against the Yankees (the Sox are 11-18 against New York in his starts, including three in the postseason) as he surrendered three home runs to the Bombers for only the second time. The only other time was June 20, 2000. Trailing, 2-0, in the third, Martinez surrendered a solo shot to Derek Jeter. Then the sky fell in the sixth as Martinez failed to retire the first five batters, sandwiching a pair of four-pitch walks around a two-run homer by Jorge Posada before he allowed a double to Ruben Sierra and a two-run single to Miguel Cairo. Timlin doused the flames in part by getting Sheffield to bounce into a double play, with the final run charged to Martinez scoring. The Sox scored only after Orlando Cabrera blooped a ground-rule double down the right-field line leading off the fifth. The Sox produced no late thunder. No last-ditch rally. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan tossed a ceremonial first pitch to countryman Hideki Matsui. Registration for a random drawing to buy tickets for any Sox postseason games at Fenway Park began yesterday and continues until Wednesday at noon. Fewer than 2,000 tickets will be available for each game because of the large season-ticket base and the requirements of Major League Baseball. Each person whose name is drawn may buy no more than two tickets to one game. Ticket prices for the Division Series are set by MLB: $80 for box seats, $44 for grandstand seats, $25 for bleacher seats, and $20 for standing room. There is an additional $6 fee per ticket and $20 fee per transaction. |
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