Sox beat Rangers the old fashioned way- they eeeeaaaarnned it.

Sox 3, Rangers 2

WP: Schilling (1-1)
LP: V. Padilla (0-2)
SV: Papelbon (2)
HRs: BOS- Big Papi, 2 (2); TEX- Catalanotto (1)
Sox box
SUMMARY:
It was the ideal recipe for Sox success: take 7 innings of vintage Curt Schilling, mix in two large doses of David Ortiz longballs and top off with a 5-out, door-slamming save from Jonathan Papelbon and you end up with a classic Boston victory.

HERO: Schilling 7IP, 4H, 1ER, 1 BB, 7 Ks

There could have been a 3-way tie for this honor, with Schill, Papi & Paps all deserving, but one man's performance meant a little more than the others, if only for the performance that had preceded this one.

To say Schill rebounded from his opening day disaster would be an understatement on par with "that chick Sanjaya is one terrible singer." The Sox' aging ace redeemed himself after that initial start in Kansas City in which he was roughed up for 8 hits and 5 runs in just 4 innings by consistently getting ahead of Rangers hitters, throwing all of his pitches with control and accuracy (except for the one that Frank Catalanotto hit for a 1st innning home run) and holding the lead after Papi's 2nd homer of the game gave Boston its final lead.

GOAT: The Sox lineup other than Papi & JD Drew

While those two sluggers went a combined 4-8 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs the rest of the lineup went 2-22 with 1 run, 3 Ks and 6 LOB; Boston is now hitting .237 with 3 HRs and 19 RS in 6 games.

GAME REVIEW:

This is a pretty simple one to breakdown because the game was as straightforward and frill-free as a ballgame can be. As I posted yesterday, everybody knew Schill would be desperate to atone for his poor showing in KC, it was just a question of whether the 40-year-old horse could bring his "A Game" out of the barn any more.

The Nation was unsure of that after Schill coughed up a solo shot to nemesis Frankie the Cat Catalanotto with one out in the bottom of the first, erasing the 1-0 lead Boston briefly enjoyed courtesy of Big Papi's 1st homer of the season in the top of the inning. But it was evident early on that this was going to be the hard-throwing, strikeout king Schill we had all come to know and worship, not the blowhard blogger some fans love to disparage and see fail.

Since the first lead didn't stick Papi was generous enough to try again, launching a majestic, towering blast just over the rightfield fence off of Texas starter Vincente Padilla in the 3rd with Alex Cora (HBP) aboard that quickly gave Boston and Schill another lead, 3-1. That wound up being the end of Boston's offensive production for the evening, so it would be up to Sccill to make sure the lead stuck.

By combining 94-mph heaters, killer breaking balls and a nasty attitude Schilling kept the Rangers at bay following Papi's 2nd round tripper; 14 of the last 15 batters he faced went down and none made it to 2nd base. But when he was pulled after seven strong innings the lead nearly disappeared with him.

Former closer candidate Joel Pineiro came on in the 8th and promptly made us all realize how grateful we are that he is not by getting into a bases loaded, no-out jam, courtesy of two walks and a bunt single by Kenny Methuselah Lofton. Tito decided he'd seen enough (ya think-can you say hello, Pawsox, Joel?) and brought in lefty specialist Javier Lopez to face pinch hitter Nelson Cruz. Cruz hit a wicked liner to Youk at first, who knocked it down and got the force at second as the Ranger's 2nd run scored, but with runners on 1st & 3rd, one out and Boston clinging to a 1-run lead everyone in the building knew what, or who, was coming next.

For all of the jaw-dropping feats Jonathan Papelbon performed in his brilliant 35 save rookie campaign he had never been called on to get a 5-out save. This being a new year and the Sox in need of a win heading to Fenway for Tuesday's home opener, Tito thought now might be a good time for the kid to get his first one. A risky move, perhaps, since there is still a question mark over Paps' right shoulder, but a move that had to be made nonetheless. If it backfired Tito would be hung out to dry, but it's a place he's accustomed to being in.

Francona would have no reason to fear the second-guessers as Papelbon confirmed that his decision to return to the pen and bypass the rotation was a brilliant one. With a closer's steely glare and a fastball to match Papelbon went through the Texas hitters like Taco Bell through the intestinal track, striking out Michael Young with a wicked 97-mph heater and then inducing Mark Teixeira to pop out on the first pitch he saw to end the threat.

After a baserunning blunder by J.D. Drew killed a 2-out rally in the 9th that could have padded the lead, Paps made the gaffe moot by mowing down the Rangers in the bottom of the inning quicker than you can say "watch out for a Sammy longball." Sosa led off but would pop out on the second pitch he ever saw from Papelbon, quickly followed by Hank Blalock's feeble attempt to catch up to Paps' 96-mph high cheese and then Brad Wilkerson looking at another 96er to end the game.

It was an awesome display of power, pinpoint accuracy and determination that Boston will need to win the division this year.

And they got it from their starter and closer.

NOTES & QUOTES:

-Catalanotto has owned Schilling in his career; the diminutive dynamo is 11-20 against Schill and currently owns the best average (.550) by any active hitter off the ace

-Drew had another Jekyll/Hyde-type game (is this gonna be a trend?)- he had 2 more hits to extend his streak to all 6 games and up his average to .391, but he also struck out twice and was gunned down trying to take third on a ball that barely got by the catcher with 2 outs in the ninth

-Papi had been in a 2-18 slump with zero homers on the season before unloading for his 27th career multi-homer game

"You just can't understand how unbelievable that is. You just can't. Until you're on the mound, you cannot understand that there aren't very many guys in the history of the game that can do that."- Schilling on Papelbon's masterful performance

RECORD: 3-3

GB: 1/2 gm

UP Next: Off day Monday;

Tuesday, 2PM SEA at BOS Beckett (1-0) vs. Jeff Weaver (0-0)