Yankees 4 Red Sox 3...The Season Series Is Ovah!

18 games down, the postseason yet to come. The Yankees took the season series 10 games to 8, and last night was a great way to end it in terms of excitement. I would have changed the outcome, but I haven't figured out how to do that, yet. Maybe I will in time for the October games to come.
Curt Schilling and Roger Clemens hooked up in a pitching duel for six innings before Roger had to leave the game. Schill went a wonderful 7 2/3 innings before Derek Jeter spoiled everything with a three run home run. Said Schill.......

"I missed horribly in the most crucial situation in the game," Schilling said. "I can't overthrow the ball late in the game. I can't overthrow my fastball, much less my breaking stuff in big spots. It's about executing pitches. This is an incredibly painful way to have to learn a lesson you already know. I hung it. I was trying to bounce that ball in the dirt."

But this, also from the Globe, about our Curt.....

...."he (Schilling) has to be considered Boston's second-best starter as the Sox prepare for the playoffs. He has reinvented himself as a blogging Greg Maddux and he'd be a lot better than 8-8 if the Sox scored any runs on the nights he works."

Peter here, and those words are SO true. Schill has been better and better with each start since his injury time out. He deserves to be the number two guy for the important games to come. The batting star for the Sox was Mike Lowell, who had 3 of the 5 Boston hits. The bats of Youkilis and Manny were sorely missed, but the season marches on, and the Red Sox are in good shape. No hanging heads around these parts.

We go to Toronto for a three game set, and then after the off day Thursday, we play three in Tampa Bay. Another off day follows, so Tito can and will juggle the starters to set up the most effective postseason pitching order. Beckett and Schilling will be the numbers one and two starters in that quartet. Daisuke will not make his scheduled Wednesday start. Clay Buchholz or Julian Tavarez will take his place. I'd love to see Clay one more time, and I strongly feel he will be the one Tito picks. He gives us a much better chance than Tavy does for a longer outing and a win. Here are the pitching matchups for the series in Canada......

Tim Wakefield (16-10, 4.68 ERA) vs. Dustin McGowan (10-9, 4.01) tonight
Jon Lester (4-0, 4.86) vs. A.J. Burnett (8-7, 3.42) Tuesday
TBA vs. Jesse Litsch (5-9, 4.37) Wednesday

Burnett is a tough pitcher, and this upcoming trio of games against Toronto will not be easy. 12 games in two weeks......that's it, my readers. I hope we can nail down the division THIS week so that players will be able to be rested and ready for the final push towards immortality. Please click on the title of this post for the Globe's Gordon Edes' take on this game number 18. Have a great Monday.