“Mr. Knuckleball” Safeguards Boston Again

Only 120~130 kilometers per hour at most.

However, the balls dance in a dizzying movement in front of the New York Yankees’ batters, and in fact are not dancing to their steps.

Knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield (37) beat the New York Yankees again in the fourth game of the American League Championship Series held at Fenway Park in Boston on October 14 after it was rained out the night before.

Wakefield, the starting pitcher of Boston, who allowed only two hits and two runs in six innings pitched in Game 1, recorded eight strikeouts and allowed five hits and only one run in seven innings of work with his dazzling knuckleballs to lead Boston to a 3-2 victory.

The knuckleball is pitch which uses the fingers to push or throw the ball as it is released from the hand, with the pitcher’s thumb and little finger bent. It doesn’t have any spin so batters are not able to drive it consistently long, and it moves in unknown fashion, sometimes falling sharply or curving in front of home plate.

On Wakefield’s fine performance, Boston took the lead with a solo home run by Todd Walker and Trot Nixon in the 4th and 5th innings respectively, and further increasing the lead on a grounder by Jason Varitek with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of 7th inning.

They fifth game of the series will be held at Fenway Park at 5:18 p.m. on October 15, with the series tied at 2-2. The starting pitchers will be Derek Lowe (Boston) and David Wells (Yankees).

In the meantime, Don Zimmer, bench coach of the New York Yankees, apologized for his actions in the third game in which he charged Boston starting pitcher Pedro Martinez because of Martinez’ beanball, only to have been flung aside by Martinez.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com