Game 6 tonight
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by Hoops2662
So, here we are again. The Red Sox in need of a win or the season is over and the man on the mound is Curt Schilling. Yes, it's the man of bloody sock fame taking the ball again for Sox nation. But the question for Sox nation is which Schilling will we get? Will it be the Ace that shutout the Angels for seven innings while sweeping the Angels in the ALCS or will it be the haggered vet who couldn't get out of the fifth inning last start against the Indians. The answer to that question will go a far way in determining whether the Red Sox will extend the season to Sunday night and a winner-take-all game 7.
Of course, Schilling's performance isn't the only part of the equation. Fausto Carmona is also looking to rebound Saturday night. Last Saturday, he too did not make it out of the fifth, with his Indians eventually winning 13-6 in 11 innings. Now while Schilling was getting hit to the tune of a .313 avg by the Tribe, Carmona held the Sox in check to a .193 avg. His achilles, however, was the five free passes he gave the Sox that left him in a 5-4 hole.
Now, if you're looking for history in game 6's, there's a lot of good and one very bad memory. We all remember 2004 and the legendary heroics of Schilling forcing game 7 against the Yanks. Who could forget Carlton Fisk's 12th inning theatrics in the 1975 World Series to top the Reds? We would, however, like to forget the Buckner ball in 1986 against the Mets (even though I still profess that Rich Gedman should've stopped Bob Stanley's wild pitch preceding it).
The numbers are on the Boston side of the ledger as this is the seventh time the Red Sox have hit a game 6 down three games to two. In the previous six games, the Sox are 6-0 and have gone on to win the series three of those times. At Friendly Fenway, site of tonight's game 6, Boston is 4-0 with victories in the World Series in 1918, 1967, 1975 and an ALCS win in 1986 against the Angels.
So, keep it locked to the Score tonight to see if it the Sox will roll a lucky seven. Broadcast time on Sportsradio 99-7 and 7-90 the Score starts at 7:35pm with Jon Miller and Joe Morgan.
My gut feeling tells me they will and we'll be staring at game 7 with Dice-K on the mound Sunday night. Gulp! But, let's get to that when we get there right?
Offense is meaningless compared to pitching in the post-season. We scored 6 runs in game 2, and we lost. Six runs should be enough to win, but Schilling sucked and Delcarmen blew a 1 run lead. In game 3, we only scored 2 runs, but it is very possible to score 2 runs and still win a game, or at least force extra innings. In game 4, we put up 3 runs. It's very possible to score 3 runs and not lose. In fact, the game was 0-0 until Daisuke melted.
If you don't think the post-season is about pitching, pitching, then hitting, then pitching; consider the fact that in well-pitched games by the starter, the Red Sox are 4-0 this post-season. In poorly pitched games, we're 1-3.