Curtains for Sox

Schilling touched for slam in eighth as Blue Jays rally

April 23, 2004|Globe Staff

TORONTO -- Nothing like riveting footage of police chases ending with one suspect's vehicle after another cartwheeling or fishtailing into mangled pieces of metal as a diversion from the pregame doldrums. Many of the Red Sox, trying to watch a televised game between the Braves and Reds, instead were relegated during a rain delay to witnessing a montage of crash scenes before they tried to wreck the Blue Jays along their collision course with the Yankees.

They might have been better off watching baseball. By the end of the night, the Sox were road kill as the Jays obliterated a 3-1 deficit by overrunning Curt Schilling for six runs in the seventh and eighth innings in a stunning 7-3 victory before 16,480 at SkyDome. Schilling's bleakest hour in his first month with the Sox unfolded amid a 3-3 deadlock with two outs in the eighth when Chris Gomez rocked him for a game-breaking grand slam.

"I had my chances and I didn't make pitches," Schilling said after his first loss with the Sox. "I had multiple opportunities in the seventh and again in the eighth, and I didn't get the job done."

Schilling was lifted only after he allowed eight of the last 11 batters he faced to reach base.

"I thought he was fine," manager Terry Francona said. "Maybe I was wrong. The results weren't very good."

The Sox did Schilling few favors by leaving 13 runners on base and batting .077 (1 for 13) with runners in scoring position.

"We didn't put our foot on their throat when we had our chance," Kevin Millar said.

In all, the Jays touched Schilling for a walk and 13 hits, one shy of his career high in a start, as he fired 123 pitches over 7 2/3 innings. His trouble began in earnest with two outs and the bases empty in the seventh inning when the Jays strung together four straight hits, a triple by Orlando Hudson and singles by Gomez, Howie Clark, and Frank Catalanotto, to produce two runs and force a 3-3 tie.

"I felt good and felt strong," Schilling said. "I'm disappointed. Taking a lead into the seventh inning, I expect to win. I had chances and didn't make pitches."

Schilling had thrown 104 pitches through seven innings when Francona decided to send him out in the eighth. Everyone in the bullpen was available except Keith Foulke and Alan Embree, whose offers to pitch if needed were declined by the manager.

"[Schilling] was strong," Francona said. "He was fine."

The eighth inning opened with Carlos Delgado and Eric Hinske sandwiching singles around a Josh Phelps strikeout. Schilling then retired Kevin Cash on a popup before the switch-hitting Hudson strode to the plate. Hudson entered the game batting .159 against lefties and .293 against righties in his career.