01:00 AM EDT on Monday, April 12, 2004

BY STEVEN KRASNER and SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writers

BOSTON -- Curt Schilling's first start at Fenway Park in a home Red Sox uniform was just as emotional as he thought it would be. And he was excited about that because he said he thrives on that emotion.

His personal emotions, though, took a bit of a roller-coaster ride yesterday in what wound up as a 6-4, 12-inning win for Boston.

Schilling did not figure in the decision. In fact, he was on the hook for the loss before his teammates scratched out a run in each of the eighth and ninth innings, sending the game into extra innings.

The veteran right-hander allowed only six hits, walking none and whiffing 10 in his eight-inning stint. But he also surrendered four runs, the last two of which came on a homer into the Sox' bullpen by Eric Hinske, snapping a 2-2 tie in the sixth.

That hanging splitter to Hinske was one of three mistakes he made, Schilling said. The other two came on pitches to Josh Phelps. The Toronto DH ripped an 0-and-1 pitch for an RBI double in the Jays' two-run fourth. And with two outs and nobody on in the sixth, he bounced an 0-and-2 pitch for a single to center, preceding Hinske's blast.

"My performance? Disappointing," said Schilling. "I was disappointed. Coming off the heels of Pedro (Martinez's) gem (Saturday) night, you like to maintain that momentum. But as disappointed as I was when I came out of the game, it's a wash now. It's gone. I pitched today and we won, so it makes it all good."

A not-so-tender exchange

Scott Williamson warmed up yesterday but had to stop because of a tender elbow.

The right-hander has not pitched since going two innings in Baltimore on Thursday night. He warmed up Saturday night but was not called upon. He was up again yesterday but wouldn't have been able to answer the bell.

Manager Terry Francona wasn't immediately certain how serious the problem was. A somewhat testy Williamson insisted after the game that it was nothing serious.

"It's just been a little tender since (Thursday night), that's all," said Williamson, who has had a history of tenderness in the elbow. "You can pitch with it. It's just a precautionary thing. It was kind of cold and windy out there. It's a long season. You don't want to jeopardize anything."

Williamson bristled when asked if he were going for x-rays.

"No need," he said, an ice pack attached to his elbow. "It's sore and tender. There's nothing structurally wrong. Trust me."

A winning environment

Mark Malaska, who was promoted from Pawtucket, didn't pitch in front of 34,286 fans when he was with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field last year.

But there he was yesterday, summoned in an important situation in front of what was left of a large, roaring crowd at Fenway. Malaska entered after Bobby Jones walked the first two batters of the 11th.

After a forceout at second on a chopper to the mound, the left-hander fanned Frank Catalanotto, a .364 hitter, and retired the dangerous Vernon Wells on a fielder's choice grounder.

He sailed through the 12th and was rewarded with the win when David Ortiz croaked a two-run bomb in the bottom of the 12th.

"Tek (catcher Jason Varitek) called some good pitches," said Malaska. "I just tried to throw strikes and make them put the ball in play. This is a lot different than pitching in Tampa. It's electric. It does make you a little nervous, but I tried to think of that as a positive, that they were on my side. I'm just trying to take all this in stride."

Birthday blues

The Sox' family enjoyed three player birthdays yesterday, but not one of the birthday boys had the best of all possible days.

Varitek (32) went 0 for 4 with a walk. He whiffed with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth and Boston down, 4-3. He hit into a double play with runners at first and second and none out in the 10th.

Bobby Jones (32) was wild again. He walked the only two batters he faced, bringing his two-game total to five straight. Jones walked four batters in the 13th inning in Baltimore Thursday night, forcing home the Orioles' winning run.

Trot Nixon (30) wasn't even at Fenway. He's still in Miami, rehabbing his back.

Whatever works

Closer Keith Foulke was brought into yesterday's game in an unaccustomed situation. The Sox were losing in the ninth, 4-3. The Jays had two on and two out. Foulke got out of that inning and pitched out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the 10th.

He had no complaints with pitching when the Sox were trailing.

"I'm here to win ballgames," said Foulke. "If that's what it takes, that's what they pay me for. I'm here for one purpose, and that's to get the job done."

McCarty proves his worth

David McCarty, who entered the game as a pinch hitter for Pokey Reese in the seventh inning, went 0 for 3. However, McCarty he made two outstanding plays at first base. On the first one, he saved third baseman Bill Mueller an error with a long stretch for a wide throw in the eighth. Later, he saved Foulke some embarrassment and maybe the game when he scooped the reliever's short-armed, one-hop changeup for the final out of the 10th, stranding three Jays.

Reshuffling the deck

Thanks to today's off-day, the Red Sox will reconfigure their pitching rotation over the next week or so.

No. 5 starter Bronson Arroyo, whose turn would have been Thursday, will instead be skipped and next pitch Saturday.

In past seasons, Pedro Martinez has been given an extra day off between starts when the schedule allows, but the Sox will have him pitch Thursday on his normal fifth day.

That means Martinez will be the only Boston starter not to face the Yankees in a four-game series at Fenway that begins Friday. But had he pitched the Friday opener with the extra day, he would have missed the Yanks the following weekend in New York.

As it stands, Martinez and Schilling will pitch against New York once each in the two series, while Derek Lowe and Tim Wakefield will face them twice each.

"There's a lot of other variables," Francona said. "It's not just the Yankees. There's no way [Pedro] was going to (face) them both times, anyway, and Baltmore (Thursday's opponent) counts as much in the standings as the Yankees do."

Bellhorn chimes in

After using Cesar Crespo in the leadoff spot Saturday night, Francona had Mark Bellhorn bat first yesterday. The manager cited Bellhorn's ability to get on base as one of the reasons for the experiment.

"We're just trying to get as many guys on base as possible for the middle of the lineup," said Francona. "(Bellhorn) has been a good hitter against (Toronto starter Miguel Batista) and he takes his walks."

Indeed he does. Bellhorn took three of them yesterday, adding a game-tying single in the ninth. He also scored two runs.

Damon's status unclear

Johnny Damon (left knee) remained out of action for the second straight game.

"He's a little sore in the same spot," said Francona.

The Sox are hoping that today's off-day on the schedule enables Damon to return when the Sox begin a three-game series with Baltimore tomorrow night.

Nixon held back

After first planning to have Trot Nixon (herniated disc) with them this week to continue his rehab, the Sox have decided to leave Nixon in south Florida "for a while longer," according to Francona.

"He gets better work in and accomplishes more there," Francona said. "It really isn't a setback. He's doing OK, but he's not ready to be here yet."

Kim back at it

Byung-Hyung Kim is set today to face hitters for two innings or approximately 15 pitches, He will then make a rehab appearance for Class A Sarasota Thursday, when he'll pitch three innings . . . Tests results on Ramiro Mendoza's shoulder revealed no structural problems. He'll rest for about a week, then begin a throwing program.