New York ? Curt Schilling wanted nothing more than to silence Yankee fans. Instead, a raucous crowd and a sore ankle helped ruin his night.

And he’s not sure he’ll be able to pitch again — or even want to — in the AL championship series.

“If I can’t go out there with something better than that, I’m not going back out there,” Schilling said.

Hobbled by tendinitis in his right ankle that hurt his ability to push off the rubber, his fastball lacked its usual speed Tuesday night. The Boston ace was hooted off the mound, lasting only three innings in a 10-7 loss to the New York Yankees in the series opener.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said it was too early to be concerned that Schilling might miss his next start, scheduled for Game 5 Sunday in Boston.

“He just didn’t look right,” Francona said. “We were trying to give him every opportunity because his heart’s so big and he has the ability to reach back.”

The worst postseason start of his career, Schilling’s shelling raised questions about whether his injury was worse than he let on after it happened Sept. 21 at home against Baltimore.

But he did beat the Yankees five days later at Fenway, allowing two runs and one hit in seven innings.

He said the ankle didn’t hurt Tuesday because it was taped and he had received a painkiller injection.