Wakefield to Start Game 1

Tim Wakefield’s patience and Derek Lowe’s persistence paid off.

Wakefield, the knuckleballer whose volunteer relief effort in Game 3 of the American League championship series prevented him from starting Game 4, was officially named to start Game 1 of the World Series for the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night, and he is scheduled to start Game 5, if necessary.

And Lowe, who was demoted to the bullpen at the start of the playoffs because of his late-season struggles, regained his rotation spot for the World Series and will start Game 4. The right-hander performed well in an emergency championship series Game 4 start and superbly in his Game 7 start on two days’ rest Wednesday night.

Curt Schilling, who won Game 6 despite pitching with stitches to attach a dislocated tendon in his right ankle, is scheduled to start Game 2 Sunday night and Game 6 if necessary in Fenway Park. That will prevent the right-hander from having to hit or run the bases in Games 3, 4 and 5 in St. Louis, where there is no designated hitter.

Pedro Martinez, who pitched an inning of relief against the New York Yankees on Wednesday night, is in line to start Game 3 Tuesday night and Game 7 if necessary. Right-hander Bronson Arroyo, who was bombed by the Yankees in his Game 3 start but pitched well in two relief appearances, will remain in the bullpen.

Most important, a Red Sox bullpen that combined for 33 2/3 innings in the championship series -- closer Keith Foulke threw a combined 100 pitches over three nights in Games 4, 5 and 6 -- got a two-day breather before World Series play.

“Bronson proved his resiliency with his arm and his effectiveness, which we can really use,” Manager Terry Francona said Thursday. “So I think pitching-staff wise, we’ll go from being on fumes to being OK. A couple days off for these guys will be huge.”

*

Francona will make one significant lineup switch Saturday, starting backup Doug Mirabelli, who usually catches Wakefield, behind the plate in place of starter Jason Varitek.

The Red Sox will miss Varitek’s bat, but Varitek also nearly cost Boston the championship series when he gave up three passed balls while catching Wakefield in the 13th inning of Monday night’s Game 5 victory. Wakefield struck out Ruben Sierra with runners on second and third to end the 13th.

Francona will have more tough decisions when the series shifts to St. Louis. He will keep designated hitter David Ortiz’s bat in the lineup by starting him at first base, but he will have to decide whether to move first baseman Kevin Millar to right field or stick with regular right fielder Trot Nixon.

“It’s a shame -- I understand the way the rules are set up, but that’s not our team,” Francona said.

*

Many who have played and won in New York say there is no greater thrill than experiencing a championship in the nation’s largest and most sports-crazed city.

But suffer one of baseball’s most horrific collapses, as the Yankees did at the hands of the Red Sox, and a city’s love can turn to scorn quicker than an Ortiz home run leaves the park.

The back page of Thursday’s New York Post featured the headline, “What a Choke.” The front-page headline in the Daily News: “The Choke’s on Us.” On the back page: “Hell Freezes Over.”