Tip your cap and move on

Red Sox 9 Royals 1
W-Schilling (4-2), L-Gobble (1-1)
Royals Season Record: 8-20

I doubt if anybody expected Jimmy Gobble to match Curt Schilling pitch for pitch today. We just hoped that he could keep us in the came and that a miracle would occur. Gobble was holding up his end of the bargain when Juan Gonzalez misplayed another ball in the outfield, allowing Pokey Reese to get an inside the park home run—giving the Sox the lead at 2-1 in the fifth.

We can point to one missed opportunity that could have changed the game. In the third inning, Harvey and Santiago both singled to open the inning. Relaford laid down a fantastic sacrifice bunt and we had two runners in scoring position with one out and Berroa at the plate in a scoreless game. The key to getting to any great pitcher like Schilling is get to them early or you probably won’t get to them at all.

Berroa flew out to Kapler in right field. He didn’t get the ball deep enough to score Harvey. Harvey made Kapler throw the ball and he air mailed it over the head of Varitek—the ball landed right in the glove of Schilling who was exactly where he was supposed to be—backing up the play. Beltran popped out. Inning over. Rally over. Game still tied at zero.

The Sox exploded for five runs in the sixth and Schilling put it into cruise control. These types of games are going to happen. Great pitchers are tough to beat and when we had a chance to get to him early, we failed. As disappointing as that is, let’s just tip our cap to Schilling and look forward to tomorrow when May goes up against Lowe.