Varitek Ends Slump With Winning Homer( Newsday ) By Bob Herzog. STAFF WRITER
The last time Jason Varitek took take a slow tour of the
bases was on April 26. It was 104 at-bats since his last home run
when he
stepped to the plate against Orlando Hernandez with the score tied
at 3, a
runner on third and two outs in the sixth inning last night at Yankee
Stadium.
A home run was not on the catcher's mind.
"I was just battling with two strikes," Varitek said. "He just
happened to
leave one out over the plate." And Varitek just happened to send it
into the
upper deck in rightfield for what turned out to be the game-winning
homer in
Boston'' 5-3 victory. "It's been a frustrating time for me at the
plate."
Varitek was 5 for his last 27 before the home run.
Instead, the Yankees were left frustrated. Pitching coach Mel
Stottlemyre
had offered El Duque the option of walking Varitek to pitch to No.
9 hitter
Wilton Veras. El Duque opted for Varitek; Stottlemyre reminded him
to be
careful. The count went full before Hernandez tried to run a fastball
in but
instead found the middle of the plate. "It's very difficult to know
once you
release it," Hernandez said. "But once he hits it, you know." The
switch-hitting Varitek said he hadn't hit a home run from the left
side since
last season's playoffs nor could he remember ever hitting one lefthanded
that
high or that far.
"It's nice that for once, we didn't have to lean
on Carl
[Everett] and Nomar [Garciaparra] to get the big hit," Varitek said.
Actually,
Everett had three hits and an RBI and Garciaparra had two hits, but
Varitek had
the crushing blow.
He also had a bird's-eye view of the impressive job the Sox' bullpen
turned
in. "They were phenomenal," Varitek said of the 6 2/3 innings of
scoreless,
one-hit performance. "It started with [Hippolito] Pichardo getting
that double
play." Pichardo relieved starter Brian Rose with one out in the third
inning of
a 3-3 game, the bases loaded and Shane Spencer coming up. On the
reliever's
third pitch, Spencer bounced into a double play. After that, Pichardo,
Rich
Garces, Rheal Cormier and Derek Lowe did their best imitation of the
Yankees'
bullpen and pitched Boston into a first-place tie.
Though the Red Sox had to use four relievers last night, it is
comforting
to know that they all could get a rest today with ace Pedro Martinez
starting.
"We don't look at it as 'We got one and now we've got Pedro,' " Varitek
said.
"We can't expect a shutout every time." But Garces is expecting to
have a
stress-free afternoon at The Stadium. "When Pedro pitches and has
his stuff,"
the portly reliever said, "we can just sit out there and watch the
game."