Schilling Is Still Quite Capable

Curt Schilling shut down the Seattle Mariners with relative ease.

From his barehanded stab of a hard one-hopper by Ichiro Suzuki to his mid-90s fastball to his pinpoint control, Boston’s ace showed another opponent -- and his rain-soaked hometown fans -- that he is back and, perhaps, better than ever.

Schilling gave up three hits in eight innings Friday night in a 2-1 Boston win. Striking out seven and walking none, Schilling started the season with wins in his first three starts for the first time since 2002.

“I wasn’t sure what I was going to be this year,” said Schilling, who won only four games in 11 starts last year. “I feel I’m pitching better than I ever have.”

That includes the three years when Schilling (3-0) won at least 20 games. But last year he spent 76 days on the disabled list because of an ankle injury and struggled all season. This year, an effective slider and changeup and better inside pitching have made him hard to hit.

“I’ve seen him for a long time and he should be confident,” Manager Terry Francona said. “But last year he wasn’t healthy.”

Pitching at home for the first time this season and in a rain that fell steadily from the fifth inning to the end, Schilling lowered his earned-run average from 1.93 to 1.64. He gave up a run in the fifth on a double by Richie Sexson, who came around on two grounders.

Schilling got all the support he needed from an unlikely source. Alex Gonzalez, signed as a free agent for his fielding prowess at shortstop and not his hitting ability, drove in both runs with a double in the fourth and went three for four with two doubles off Jamie Moyer (0-2).

The game matched two of baseball’s best veteran pitchers as Schilling made his 517th major league appearance and Moyer made his 541st.

Moyer threw 51 pitches in the first two innings and left after six after giving up two runs and eight hits with eight strikeouts. He escaped jams in the first, when the Red Sox stranded two runners, and in the second, when they left the bases loaded. His record dropped to 0-5 in his last seven starts against Boston.

“For us to be 7-3 after 10 games when our offense isn’t even close to hitting its stride is a positive thing,” Schilling said.

Detroit 5, Cleveland 1 -- Kenny Rogers won his home debut for the Tigers and Brandon Inge homered twice at Detroit.

Rogers (2-1) gave up one run and seven hits in eight innings, struck out five and walked three. Fernando Rodney finished with a one-hit ninth for Detroit, which had lost four straight after a 5-0 start under new Manager Jim Leyland.

Chris Shelton had a triple and a double, and he is hitting .512 with a 1.293 slugging percentage.

Tampa Bay 7, Kansas City 2 -- Jorge Cantu hit a go-ahead, three-run double with two out in the seventh inning for the Devil Rays in a victory at St. Petersburg, Fla. The Royals lost their fifth straight game.

Trailing, 2-0, Tampa Bay loaded the bases against Scott Elarton with one out in the seventh on two walks and a bunt single. Elmer Dessens relieved and retired Carl Crawford on a grounder, and Cantu doubled to center for a 3-2 lead.

Minnesota 5, New York 1 -- Scott Baker (1-1) gave up one run, three hits and one walk in seven innings, striking out four at Minneapolis as the Twins extended their winning streak to four.

Juan Castro’s two-out RBI single pushed the Twins’ lead to 3-1 in the seventh and chased Mike Mussina (1-1). Justin Morneau added an RBI single in the eighth against Kyle Farnsworth and scored on Tony Batista’s double.

Toronto 13, Chicago 7 -- Troy Glaus put the Blue Jays ahead with a two-run double in a five-run fifth and had a two-run homer in the third at Chicago. Vernon Wells homered for the third straight game.

Pete Walker (1-1) pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Scott Downs, who started in place of Roy Halladay, who has a tender forearm.

Javier Vazquez (0-1) failed to hold a 5-2 lead and gave up seven runs and nine hits in six innings.

Texas 6, Oakland 3 -- Kevin Millwood struck out seven in his first win for the Rangers, defeating Barry Zito and the Athletics at Oakland.

Millwood, the Rangers’ top signing in the off-season, took a one-hitter into the fifth inning, retiring 12 of the first 13 batters he faced. Frank Thomas broke up the shutout with his 450th career homer leading off the fifth.

Millwood (1-2) struck out seven, gave up seven hits and did not walk a batter in seven innings as he beat the A’s for the third time in three career starts.