Rejoinder
Game 8: April 13, 2005
Yankees (4-4), 5
Red Sox (3-5), 2
W: Jaret Wright (1-1)
L: Curt Schilling (0-1)
Schilling returned from his ankle injury looking in Game 6 ALCS form for the first 4 innings, but left seeming more like the Game 1 version of Curt. When asked if he took away anything positive from his outing, he said, “No, it’s a loss. This counts. I get paid to win, period. I don’t take positive things out of games like this.” In 5.2 innings, Schilling had 9 hits, 5 runs (all earned), only 1 walk, 5 strikeouts, and 2 home runs, with an ERA of 7.94. He worked efficiently until to the bottom middle of the 4th, allowing only 3 hits and no runs. It unraveled in the 5th a bit, where Tony Womack reached on a 7-pitch base on balls, and 2 runs scored.
In total, Schilling threw 108 pitches. He stated that the hits off of him were due to poor location, not lack of stamina. I find it hard to believe that locating a pitch doesn’t require an endurance and concentration that has to be tempered in Spring Training, not against a top-flight slugging team like the Yankees. As much Schilling prides himself and his preparation, both mental and physical, the mind may be willing, but the body not. At least not yet.
Offensively, the team isn’t yet reached full stride. Ten men left on base, with key lack of capitalizing on scoring opportunities in the 3rd and 5th. Trot Nixon continues his hot hitting, slamming a home run in the 5th.
The Red Sox attempt to secure their first series win on Thursday evening, with Bronson vs. Johnson. I think Johnson may retaliate at some point this evening for all of the Yankees that have been hit by pitches, since it is documented that Mike Mussina would not every do so. We all know that Arroyo is a headhunter with that terrifying inside breaking ball of his, so perhaps it will be a volatile game tonight. Not anything like hooligans at an Italian soccer match, however.
