Game Preview: Sox @ Baltimore GM3

Schilling (6-5, 4.31) vs. Trachsel (5-7, 4.88)
Camden Yards 1:35

The Sox will try and win the rubber match of this series and head back home on a positve note after a long, arduous cross country treak that started in Seattle 9 days ago and ends in the newest road headquarters of RSN, Baltimore, Maryland.

The number of Sox fans who have packed Camden Yards has been absolutely staggering, even by Nation standards, and the standing ovation the team received in the 9th inning of yesterday's game was downright embarrassing for the city and fans of the team.

Curt Schilling will hope to benefit from all the love when he takes the hill today for his second start since returning from the disabled list.

His first start contained a lot of positives for the aging ace: his velocity was there, his pitch location was decent, and he enjoyed an early 2-0 lead thanks to a Kevin Youkilis homerun.

Then came the bad.

He tried to barehand a ball up the middle by Vlad Guerrero that nearly took his finger off, then failed to cover first base on what could have been a rally-killing double play.

Throw in some horrible fielding by young Brandon Moss and it all added up to a disappointing 4-2 loss for Schill and the Sox, but like I said there were some encouraging signs to take from his first start in seven weeks.

Another encouraging sign for Boston is they will be facing mediocre mound man Steve Trachsel today.

The 36-year-old had a decent start against the Sox on August 1st, allowing 1 run and 5 hits in a 5-4 Baltimore loss, but since June 2nd Trachsel is 1-4 and has seen his ERA rise by a full run, from 3.89 to 4.88, an encouraging sign for these hungry Sox hitters.

Key for Schill today will be getting his splitter working and keeping pesky sparkplugs Brain Roberts, Corey Patterson and Nick Markakis off the bases.

Oh and if he can keep Eric Gagne from entering the contest that would be a bonus.