Baseball

ALCS: Clubs anticipate peaceful rematch

By TOM JONES, Times wires
Published October 16, 2003

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NEW YORK - They met in Game 3, a game that turned into a fiasco with beanballs, brushbacks and back-talk.

Tonight, expect to see nothing but pitching when the Red Sox's Pedro Martinez faces the Yankees' Roger Clemens in Game 7 of the ALCS.

"It's Game 7," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "There are more important things than stuff that shouldn't be on the sports page."

For Martinez, tonight's game is a chance to redeem himself for what happened in Game 3 when he drilled Karim Garcia, challenged any Yankee who looked his way and tossed aside 72-year-old Yankees coach Don Zimmer.

"I think everybody got through the emotions of that last appearance on both sides," Boston's Jason Varitek said. "We have both done a good job of returning to play baseball. ... I expect Pedro to compete like he always does. I expect Roger to do the same."

For Clemens, it's a chance to break the hearts of fans who used to cheer for him.

The good news is a rematch of Zimmer and Martinez isn't likely.

"Zimmer is not going to hit," Torre said with a smile.

BACK IN THE SERIES: The Red Sox welcomed Nomar Garciaparra to the ALCS. David Ortiz, Bill Mueller and Kevin Millar, too. Those four had a total of 10 hits in the series entering Wednesday. They had 11 in Game 6.

The best sight for Boston was seeing Garciaparra swing a hot bat.

"It certainly was good," Red Sox manager Grady Little said. "It was good for him and good for us. This guy is certainly capable of doing this any day he steps on the field. You know it's going to happen sooner or later, and (Wednesday) it happened."

Garciaparra came into Game 6 with a .105 average (2-for-19) and one RBI. In Game 6, he broke out with four hits, including the triple in the seventh that started the go-ahead rally, and three runs.

"All I've done is go up there the same as I have been," Garciaparra said. "I get a lot of support from my teammates. ... They were like, "Go out there and keep doing what you're doing, keep going.' "

ADVANTAGE RED SOX?: This the first Game 7 in the ALCS since 1986. That year, the Red Sox overcame a 3-1 deficit to win Game 7 against the Angels.

"It should be exciting," Little said.

EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S WINDY: The game was played in a steady 25 mph wind that had papers, bags and wrappers constantly flying around the field.

"When you see some kind of field conditions like that, whether it be wet ground or the wind blowing like that," Little said, "the one thing that you can be assured of is that it's the same for both teams."

Today's weather should be better: clear and light wind.

MISCELLANY: Both managers said their entire pitching staffs, minus the Game 6 starters, will be available tonight. ... Yankees starter Andy Pettitte got a no-decision, snapping a string of five victories in the ALCS. ... The Red Sox have hit 17 homers this postseason, a club record. With nine homers in the ALCS, the Red Sox need one to tie the record set by Toronto (1992) and the Yankees (1996). ... Fenway employee Paul Williams, who scuffled with Yankees Jeff Nelson and Garcia in Game 3, has not returned to work as a special-education teacher because of his injuries.

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