Sox split squads split twin bill

GM1:Boston 3, Toronto 2
GM2:Minny 1, Boston 0

The Sox split its squads yesterday, playing two games at the Fort, but one of the 2 had a decidedly regular season, Fenway feel to it.

Curt Schilling took on Minnesota's Johan Cy-tana yesterday afternoon at City of Palms Park in a duel that takes center stage no matter what time of year it is or where the venue is. Schill worked on his developing slider again, throwing 14 of them out of his 60 pitches, and allowed one run on two hits and a walk in four innings of work. Cy-tana was in mid-season form as well, tossing 3 shutout innings while giving up one hit, two walks and three Ks.

The real positive sign here is that Schill is getting more comfortable with his new "out" pitch, at one point throwing three in a row to Matt LeCroy before striking him out on a fastball, causing the non-roster invitee to do a little double take. "I was like, 'What in the world?" LeCroy said.

In the other game Kyle Snyder got tagged early, allowing homers to 2 of the first 4 batters he faced, but the righty settled down to toss 2 1/3 innings, giving up just the two runs on 5 hits, a walk and two Ks. Snyder is making a pitch for the remaining spot in Boston's pen, but getting outpitched by fellow retread Tomo Okha, who pitched 3 innings of shutout ball, is no way to go about it.

Other notes from the game: JD Drew's triple drove in ManRam, who had singled, and tied the game at 2 in the 4th; Boston won it on a 9th inning RBI double by Jeff Bailey.