Vanguard
Game 42: May 22, 2006
Yankees (24-19), 5
Red Sox (26-16), 9
L: Chien-Ming Wang (4-2)
W: Curt Schilling (7-2)
Curt Schilling is just a single victory away from 200. The workhorse turned in eight innings of work with a line of five hits, a single earned run, and six strikeouts. Reports of his arm’s demise have been greatly exaggerated; it was his hairstyle’s currency that is deceased. Thought to be extinct since Vinnie Barbarino strutted on “Welcome Back, Kotter” and David Cassidy graced the cover of “Tiger Beat,” Schilling sported a feathered cut fresh out of the 70s. Everything old became new again, his arm similarly revived.
Terrence Long was unrecognizable in left field; he seemed as sure-footed as an elephant on an ice rink. Gone are his days of robbing Manny Ramirez of the longball. So he goes where former name players go to die: the Yankees outfield. In the third inning, Long slipped while attempting to catch David Ortiz’s line drive, allowing two runs to score. Ramirez politely spared the Yankees outfielders any further gaffes that inning by sending his homer to dead center field for another two runs.
One memorable moment from 2004 was Ramirez mocking Schilling as the later filled his notebook with details on his mound performance. Unlike Ramirez, however, Ortiz had interest in Schilling’s data, or at least appeared to. Hopefully Schilling wasn’t trying to convince Ortiz to straighten his hair and go for the winged look.
Alarmingly, Keith Foulke gave up homers to Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada and an RBI-double to Bernie Williams in the ninth inning, but the home town team had scored five runs in the seventh and eighth innings, providing more than enough cushion.
I have a friendly bet with a friend of mine who is a Yankee fan based on the regular season series’ outcome. The loser has a the privilege of donning the winning team’s logo gear of the winner’s choosing. I have four vibrant Red Sox aloha shirts that I believe my quarry can fit as well as various items emblazoned with 2004 memories. Victories such as this one brings me closer to my goal to be my pal’s wardrobe coordinator.
