Schilling solid after 9 days rest

After 9 days of rest, Curt Schilling again came to the mound to square off against the ailing Oakland Athletics in a crucial game for the Sox. As a longtime fan and someone who hasn’t been all that impressed with some of the off-field banter from the former staff ace, I admit that I was skeptical, but then I realized something I had forgotten. For Schilling, this isn’t merely the end of the regular season – no, there was actual pressure for him to get a win with the division so close and few games remaining.

Visions of 2004 popped into my head and I knew that regardless of age and regardless of the regular season as a whole, this start would be different for Schilling. After 6 fairly strong innings, Schilling left with a 3-run lead, having only given up only 1 earned run.

Say what you will about Curt Schilling, but last night he proved that even while he might not being blowing batters away with his fastball anymore, he knows how to get guys out. More importantly, he knows how to get them out when it counts and should be ready for the #2 spot in the postseason rotation.

…and the Evil Empire lost on a walk-off home run to Tampa Bay in the bottom of the 10th. Magic number for the Sox is 3.

Six days, six games, one division title

In Boston and New York, the media is in a frenzy, which is to say that things are pretty much normal in these two baseball-crazed municipalities, but with 6 days to go in the regular season and only two games separating the two at the top of the AL East, it's a little more crazy.

Boston, hampered by injuries and perhaps a little concerned about the effectiveness of the bullpen, opens a 2-game set tonight versus the A's, while New York is in "The Pit" to face the last place, but always tough-against-the-top-teams Devil Rays.

With Schilling hurling for Boston tonight and Clemens throwing for the Yanks, both teams hope to get a leg up on each other as we enter into the final stretch. I think you know by now, where my allegiances lie!.

GO SOX!