BOSTON – They have spanked Curt Schilling and beaten Pedro Martinez, and Schilling can’t pitch Sunday due to a barking ankle. So, all that stands between the Yankees and celebrating an ALCS triumph over the dead-bat Red Sox at Fenway Park are two victories in the three games slated for this weekend.

Win two and do a Pinstripe Cha-Cha-Cha on the pitted olive grass of New England’s living room and spray champagne in the bowels of the old ballpark that has more dump to it than charm.

Kevin Brown faces Bronson Arroyo in Game 3 tonight and Joe Torre announced yesterday that Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez will start Game 4 tomorrow night against Tim Wakefield.

The numbers dictate the Yankees will bury the Red Sox since the last 13 teams to start an LCS with a 2-0 lead advance. And the Yankees are 14-2 all-time in the postseason when they hold 2-0 advantages.

Still, finding a Yankee to say the bubbly is on ice and predict the best-of-seven series isn’t going back to The Bronx is impossible. Yesterday they sounded like they were down, 0-2, instead of up, 2-0.

“You have to ignore it,” Gary Sheffield said of being two wins away from the World Series. “You have to look at it from the standpoint of wanting to finish what we started instead of looking at what we have done.”

Of course, a 2-love lead over your blood rivals is hard to disregard. While a Fenway workout was rained out yesterday, the Yankees spent the gloomy day answering questions about it. They will do the same today.

Perhaps if the roles were reversed, the Red Sox would be running their mouths because that’s them. But with David Wells in San Diego, the Yankees never are guilty of saying something that arches eyebrows.

“It’s a seven-game series, it’s not over by any stretch of the imagination,” said Derek Jeter, who celebrated clinching the AL East in 1998 and the 1999 ALCS clincher at Fenway.

But how big of a letdown would it be to allow the Red Sox, without Schilling, to come off the floor and beat the Yankees after they won the first two games?

Yesterday, Torre announced Hernandez as his Game 4 chucker instead of Javier Vazquez, who started Game 4 against the Twins in the ALDS. Torre pointed to El Duque’s postseason experience (16 games) as the deciding factor, even though Hernandez hasn’t pitched since Oct. 3 due to a tired right shoulder.

“I feel happy, I feel much better than last week,” El Duque said. “I am happy with the decision Joe Torre made for me to pitch in the No. 4 game.”

While the Yankees were buoyed by Hernandez’ health, the Red Sox were attempting to absorb that Schilling won’t be available Sunday. Manager Terry Francona didn’t go beyond that, but Schilling’s dislocated tendon won’t allow him to start Game 5.

Instead of asking Martinez to come back on three days rest – as Martinez volunteered to following Game 2 – Francona turned to Derek Lowe, who was dropped from the rotation when the regular season ended.

Arroyo makes his second postseason start and Lowe starts for the first time since Oct. 3. At their best, they aren’t Schilling and Martinez.

Privately, the Red Sox know their task is a daunting one. Publicly? What do you expect?

“We have a bunch of guys who don’t panic, period,” reliever Alan Embree said.

Of course, panicking won’t help if they go down, 3-0.

Lucky 13

Since 1985, the team that has taken a 2-0 lead in LCS play has gone on to win 13 consecutive times. The Yankees have done it twice, in 1999 and 2001. Here’s the rundown:

Series Leader Trailer Result

1987 ALCS Twins Tigers W 4-1

1988 ALCS A’s Red Sox W 4-1

1989 ALCS A’s Blue Jays W 4-1

1990 ALCS A’s Red Sox W 4-0

1992 NLCS Braves Pirates W 4-3

1993 ALCS Blue Jays White Sox W 4-2

1995 NLCS Braves Reds W 4-0

1998 NLCS Padres Braves W 4-2

1999 NLCS Braves Mets W 4-2

1999 ALCS Yankees Red Sox W 4-1

2000 NLCS Mets Cardinals W 4-1

2001 ALCS Yankees Mariners W 4-1

2002 NLCS Giants Cardinals W 4-1

On the Air

Game 3

Tonight , 8:00

TV – Fox

Radio – WCBS

Line

Tonight

Red Sox 6½-7½

Weather

59 degrees

showers