I recall the Red Sox picking up Pete Schourek mid-way through the 1998 season to add a veteran left hander to the staff for a run at the postseason.
Schourek was unspectacular down the stretch, compiling a 4.30 ERA and winning only once in 4 decisions (8 starts), but when the Red Sox earned a wild card playoff berth, he delivered.
The Sox got off to a fast start and won game one of the 1998 Division Series at Cleveland 11-3 behind Pedro Martinez, but then they lost the next two games to come within one loss of elimination.
Jimy Williams didn't have many arms left, and he had decided that Pedro would pitch game five, so with no other real option, he handed the ball to Pete Schourek for game four.
Most of us didn't expect much, we just hoped that the Sox would score 11 more runs and somehow, someway, Schourek and the pen would pitch well enough to get the Sox to a game five that we knew Pedro would win.
Red Sox fans hung on every pitch, and there were tense moments like the 2nd inning when he allowed a double and a walk and had runners at the corners with 1 out before getting out of the jam.
The Red Sox finally scored in the 4th inning on a home run by Nomar, and Schourek continued to baffle the Indians and hang zeros on the scoreboard.
Red Sox fans had hope, but it was not to be. Tom Gordon would come on in the 8th inning to blow the save after converting something like 45 in a row . . . typical.
Schourek certainly did his part, though, leaving after five and a third, having allowed no runs on only two hits, with the Sox still clinging to a 1-0 lead.
The Red Sox may have lost the game and the series, but, whenever I hear Pete Schourek's name I remember how he took the ball on a Saturday afternoon in October and delivered when the Sox desperately needed it.
Thanks for the effort, Pete.
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Posted February 16, 2005.
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