Curt Schilling and the umpire crew got it right tonight in Game 6 of the ALCS.
Schilling rebounded from a dismal Game 1 performance to pitch seven strong innings leading the Boston Red Sox to a historic 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees. Never before has a team come back from a 3-0 deficit to force a Game 7. But the Red Sox did it tonight.
Like Schilling, the umpire crew got it right tonight as they correctly reversed two on-field calls in a hostile environment. So hostile was the environment that NYPD riot police were brought out in the 8th inning to keep the fans in check.
In the fourth inning, the Red Sox' Mark Bellhorn lofted a ball to the left field fence. It was ruled a two-run double by left field umpire Jim Joyce. But after a conference with the rest of his crew, the call was overturned to a three-run homer. Television replays clearly backed the reversal, as the ball actually hit a fan in the front row before bouncing back into play. The Red Sox lead at that point was 4-0.
Then in the eighth, after Miguel Cairo's double and Derek Jeter's RBI single off Bronson Arroyo pulled the Yankees to 4-2, Alex Rodriguez hit a ball between the mound and first. Arroyo picked it up and ran toward first, where just before tagging the base the striding A-Rod slapped the ball away.
Jeter came all the way around to score as the ball bounced down the right-field line. After Boston manager Terry Francona came out to argue, the umpires huddled, discussed the play, then called Rodriguez out for interference and sent Jeter back to first.
The New York fans were upset by the reversal and hurled baseballs and a large amount of debris on to the field. By the top of the ninth inning, there was a sizable contingent of security manning foul territory on both base lines.
With two out in the bottom of the ninth, and with runners on first and second, Keith Foulke struck out Tony Clark, sending the Red Sox running out of the dugout for their third straight night of celebration.
After the game, FOX reporter, Kenny Albert spoke with Schilling, who will be 38 on Nov. 14th.
Schilling said, "I've got a say, I became a Christian seven years ago, and I've never in my life been touched by God as I was tonight.
I tried to go out and do it myself in Game 1, and you saw what happened.
Tonight was God's work on the mound."
Tune in tomorrow night at 8 pm Eastern Time to see if the Red Sox can complete their historic comeback in New York and move on to The World Series.
Are you ready for some baseball? Should be a humdinger!
Inspire & Be Inspired(R).
Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful and Game 7 living!
~ Jennifer Carolyn King and Timothy Charles Fredel