''A lot of that is confidence," Schilling said.
Following the game, which sent the Sox to a losing record (4-6) on their season-long 10-game road trip, Johnny Damon hinted that the team as a whole could use a little more of that attribute that Schilling, admittedly, was lacking.
''It's going to be a fun ride," Damon said, referring to the club's closing 37 games, 25 of which will be played within Fenway Park's warm embrace. ''We as players have to remember we have to enjoy this. You don't come across teams like this often, that won the World Series together.
''This is the last year a bunch of guys are going to play together. We can't just be so uptight about everything."
Damon figures that home, where the Sox are a major league-best 38-18, should be of a great benefit to a team that struggled through Detroit and Kansas City, going 2-4 vs. the teams at the bottom of the AL Central Division. The series loss here marked the Sox' first to the Royals since 1997.
The overriding reason?
''Just not hitting with guys in scoring position," Damon said. ''It falls to our hitters."
A number of Sox struggled offensively on the junket. David Ortiz, who needed a rest last night, both mentally and physically (he bruised his left hand Wednesday), went 8 for 39 (.205) on the trip. Gabe Kapler, after a scintillating start to his Red Sox Reunion Tour, went 3 for 26 (.115). Tony Graffanino, 0 for 9 in his first two games back in Kansas City, went 6 for 28 (.214). And the catalyst, Damon, went 10 for 44 (.227).
''What we really need is for me to get hot and stay hot," Damon said. ''When I go, this team really takes off."
Last night, though, it was Schilling's difficulties that thrust the Sox into an early deficit. Boston trailed, 3-0, after two innings, 4-0 after three, and 6-2 after four, the Royals well on their way to a 12-hit night.
The Sox staged two mini rallies -- scoring two in the fourth on consecutive RBI doubles by Bill Mueller and Alex Cora, and two more in the sixth, on a Jason Varitek run-scoring double and a Cora fielder's choice. But Jose Lima (5-12, 6.43 ERA) pitched well enough for the win (5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER).
