THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
 2004 ALCS, GAME #6
Curt Schilling's inspirational pitching effort
allows the Sox square up the series

October 19, 2004 ... Terry Francona's band of history-defying Red Sox reached the threshold of the unfathomable.  Rising from the ashes of an ankle injury that will require surgery within 48 hours of his season ending, Schilling carried his teammates with him as the Sox stunned the Yankees, 4-2, in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series last night and became the first team in baseball history to surge back from an 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven series and force a Game 7.

While Schilling did what he failed to do in Game 1 - "make 55,000 people from New York shut up" at Yankee Stadium - the often ridiculed Mark Bellhorn scored a giant measure of redemption by slugging a three-run homer off Jon Lieber in the fourth inning to give the Sox all the runs they needed to advance to Game 7.

Schilling, pitching with a shot of the pain killer Marcaine after he underwent a minor surgical procedure on the dislocated tendon in his right ankle, manhandled the Yankees for seven innings, allowing a lone run on four hits, including a solo homer by Bernie Williams. Schilling lacked his overpowering fastball but his command was superb in his 99-pitch work of magic. He walked none and struck out four before he handed off to Bronson Arroyo, who allowed a run in the eighth before Keith Foulke survived a scare in the ninth. Foulke, who already had pitched four times in the series and was appearing in his third game in as many nights, walked two batters to bring the winning run to the plate with two outs before he fanned old friend Tony Clark to complete the sensational comeback.

Bronson Arroyo momentarily was charged with an error when things got ugly in the Bronx with the Sox leading, 4-2, five outs from victory. After Derek Jeter singled home Miguel Cairo, who had doubled with one out in the eighth inning, Alex Rodriguez rolled a dribbler toward first base. Arroyo fielded the ball and tried to tag Rodriguez, who slapped at Arroyo's glove and sent the ball hurtling into foul territory, allowing Jeter to race home. First base ump Randy Marsh initially ruled Rodriguez safe, which would have meant the Yankees had a runner on second, one out, and a 4-3 score. But after Francona protested, the umpires powwowed and reversed the ruling, calling Rodriguez out for interference. Jeter returned to first with two outs.

The decision sent the crowd into an angry frenzy, as spectators pelted the field with balls, plastic bottles, and beer cups, briefly prompting the Sox to retreat to their dugout as venerable PA announcer Bob Sheppard appealed for order. Once peace was restored, Arroyo got Gary Sheffield to pop out to snuff the threat.  But the crowd continued to clamor, prompting police to line the first and third base lines and the area near the Sox dugout where team executives were seated with officers in riot-control gear - another dark, memorable image in the ancient rivalry.

As for Schilling, he picked the time of his life to post his first career win in Yankee Stadium (he was 0-2 with a 7.11 ERA in four previous appearances). And Lieber was no match for him as he tossed 124 pitches in 7 1/3 innings.

In the fourth inning Mark Bellhorn corked a long drive to left that initially was ruled a double because of fan interference. After protests from the Sox while Bellhorn paused at second, the umpiring crew convened and concluded - as replays clearly showed - that the ball cleared the wall for a three-run home run. The ball bounced off a fan back onto the field, making it a difficult call. But the umps ultimately made the correct ruling, giving Schilling a crucial 4-0 advantage. Schilling blew away the side in the fifth and the sixth before Williams struck a consolation homer in the seventh.

And so the Yankees were beaten.  Beaten by a 37-year-old pitcher on one leg and a No. 9 hitter who hit a three-run homer to the opposite field that bounced off a fan and back onto the field. Ask not for whom the Bell(horn) tolls.