Well, maybe no one expected it but Schilling, who strives every outing for perfection.
"You work backward from perfection," he said. "You go out thinking perfect game, no-hitter. If you lose those, you go for a shutout. If you lose that, you go for a win. That's the [Sandy] Koufax theory."
A win did just fine for the Sox as Schilling rationed the Rays only one run on five hits and a walk over seven innings to pace the Sox to a 4-1 triumph before 13,960 at Tropicana Field.
Forget about perfection.
"Every time you go seven innings and give up one run," catcher Jason Varitek said, "you give your team an excellent chance to win."
Along the way, Schilling (5-3) fanned Aubrey Huff in the third inning for the 2,600th strikeout of his career. Only three active pitchers (Roger Clemens, Johnson, and Greg Maddux) have recorded more strikeouts. What's more, only 19 pitchers in history have fanned more than 2,600 batters, and all but three of them (Bert Blyleven, Mickey Lolich, and Frank Tanana) who are eligible for the Hall of Fame have reached Cooperstown.
Schilling has miles to go before he reaches the threshold of the Hall. But he continued to build his resume by posting his 168th career victory, frustrating the Rays at nearly every turn.
"He's done that all his career," said Keith Foulke, who picked up his eighth save and 22d straight since last year. "He goes out there and goes seven strong. In the bullpen, that's what we like to see. He goes out there and just controls the game. It's fun to watch."
With Schilling in charge, Johnny Damon broke a 1-1 deadlock in the third inning with a homer off Tampa Bay starter Rob Bell, newly recalled from Triple A as the Rays tried in vain to win for just the second time in 13 games. Manny Ramirez dinged Bell moments later for a two-run homer for the 4-1 cushion. David Ortiz, who doubled and scored on Ramirez's blast, knocked in Damon for the game's first run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning.
Ramirez has gone 5 for 8 in the first two games of the series to improve his career average at the Trop to .353.
"I'm just lucky that I come here and do good," he said.
Lucky?
