Baltimore's Bedard Bests Boston's Beckett

It was a one man offense for the Boston Red Sox Tuesday night, as David Ortiz went 3 for 4 with two home runs and three runs batted in. The rest of the team? One Coco Crisp base hit. Period. That's it. No mas. Nada. If the offense doesn't come together, all the bullpen arms in the world will not help the Sox reach the post season. But with Curt Schilling coming back this weekend healthy and sound, we have to hope the bats will come alive. If they do, watch out!

Right now Erik Bedard might be the best pitcher in the league, and he showed the Red Sox and the Fenway Faithful exactly that last night for six innings. The O's led from start to finish, and coupled with another Yankee slugfest win, the lead has shrunk to 7 games. But there are two months to go in this 2007 regular season, and the rotation and the 'pen are just too good to sustain any long losing streaks, as long as the bats can remain constant. Give this team 4 plus runs a game and they will continue to run away with the AL East, the Yankees swallowing our dust.

Last night was Curt Schilling's last start for Pawtucket, and it was a good one. This is from the Hartford Courant.......

"Righthander Curt Schilling made his final minor league tuneup in Ohio, throwing seven shutout innings for Triple A Pawtucket against Columbus, leaving with a 4-0 lead.
Schilling, 40, on the disabled list since June 19 with right shoulder tendinitis, allowed four hits and struck out four, throwing 60 of his 77 pitches for strikes.
"I want to be in Boston," Schilling said. "I answered every question I could answer. I'm healthy, I feel good, I feel strong and I'm ready to go back and help them win games."
Schilling is expected to start either Sunday at Seattle or Monday at Anaheim."

Peter here, and that's news of the best kind for the club from Boston. 60 of 77 pitches for strikes!! What a shot in the arm his return will be.

Click on the title of this post for more on the newest member of the Boston Red Sox bullpen, penned by the Boston Herald's Michael Silverman. Good stuff. And tonight it's Traschel versus spot starter Julien Tavarez, paving the way for Schill's return on Sunday or Monday. Be well. Go Sox. Forever. Starting tonight.