GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: CLEVELAND (3-2) at BOSTON (2-3)

AL: CLEVELAND (3-2) at BOSTON (2-3)

<h3>Schilling takes mound with Red Sox on brink of elimination</h3>



<div class="pre">Cleveland at Boston 8:21 pm EDT</div><div class="pre">American League Championship Series Indians lead, 3-2</div>

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox have their backs againstthe wall.


The Red Sox will try to avoid elimination and force a decisiveGame Seven when they face the Cleveland Indians in Game Six ofthe American League Championship Series on Saturday.

The Indians had a chance to close out the best-of-seven seriesat home on Thursday. However, Cleveland once again could notsolve Josh Beckett in Game Five as Boston's righthander pitchedeight strong innings, allowing just one run while striking out11 batters, in a 7-1 win that kept the Red Sox's World Serieshopes alive for at least one more game.


Beckett improved to 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA with 26 strikeouts and awalk in 23 innings this October and 5-2 with a 1.78 ERA in ninepostseason games all-time.


While Beckett is creating his own postseason aura, Game Sixstarter Curt Schilling's legacy is already in place.

Schilling, who is arguably the best postseason pitcher ofall-time, holds a 9-2 record with a 1.93 ERA in 16 starts in theplayoffs. However, the 40-year-old righthander did not looklike himself in Game Two, surrendering five runs and nine hitsover 4 2/3 innings as the Red Sox suffered a 13-6 loss in 11innings.


"I don't ever look at it as a selfless situation, and that it'sall on me," Schilling said. "It's very simple now. I go outand do my job (Saturday) and we win, or I don't and we lose. Idon't think that that's too much pressure or too little. It'sjust reality.


"We put ourselves in this position, and I helped put us in thisposition for better or worse. I've got the ball (Saturday), andif I can do what I know I'm capable of doing and I can execute,we can win. And if I don't, then it's going to be very, verytough."


Schilling will once again be opposed by Fausto Carmona, who willalso be looking for a better outcome in Game Six.


The hard-throwing Carmona lasted just four-plus innings lastSaturday, getting charged with four runs, four hits and fivewalks while throwing just 51 of 100 pitches for strikes.

"I was trying to be a little fine," Carmona said. "I've got tomake sure I'm not going to leave any pitch down the middle ofthe plate. I was thinking just a little too much.

"I'm going to try hard to stay aggressive, the same way I alwayspitch. Whatever happened last time, I've forgotten about it,it's going to be a new start and I'm looking forward to it."

The sinkerballer, who was dominant in his Game Two start in theAL Division Series against the New York Yankees, has beenmiserable in three career outings at Fenway Park. The23-year-old is 0-2, giving up nine runs, seven hits and sevenwalks in five frames - two out of the bullpen.


Indians pitching coach Carl Willis agrees that Carmona doesn'tneed to make adjustments, but does need to execute his pitches.

"I think always to keep the ball on the ground, we like to tryto play station-to-station defense or pitch that way, so tospeak," Willis said. "To keep the ball on the ground here moretimes than not, I think you're going to have a lot of singles.So you have to group back-to-back hits or a significant amountof hits put together in one inning to score.


"So that makes it a little more difficult, I think, to create abig inning, which we're going to try to stay away fromobviously, so I think that is a key."

 

Re: AL: CLEVELAND (3-2) at BOSTON (2-3)

Must win again for us. Schilling better bring the bloody sox. lol</p>

I say it'll be Sox 7 - 3 Indians</p>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND AT BOSTON -- LINEUPS

CLEVELAND BOSTON
AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI
Grady Sizemore CF .250 1 1 Dustin Pedroia 2B .250 0 0
Asdrubal Cabrera 2B .286 0 4 Kevin Youkilis 1B .421 2 4
Travis Hafner DH .158 1 2 David Ortiz DH .400 1 3
Victor Martinez C .316 0 2 Manny Ramirez LF .471 2 8
Ryan Garko 1B .313 0 1 Mike Lowell 3B .250 1 6
Jhonny Peralta SS .286 2 7 J.D. Drew RF .313 0 0
Kenny Lofton LF .250 1 2 Jason Varitek C .211 1 4
Trot Nixon RF .250 0 1 Jacoby Ellsbury CF .000 0 0
Casey Blake 3B .316 1 2 Julio Lugo SS .167 0 0

Fausto Carmona RHP (0-0, 9.00) Curt Schilling RHP (0-0, 9.64)</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL AT BOSTON
WARMUPS: CLE - FAUSTO CARMONA (0-0, 9.00)
BOS - CURT SCHILLING (0-0, 9.64)

UMPIRES: HP - DANA DEMUTH
1B - RANDY MARSH
2B - KERWIN DANLEY
3B - BRIAN GORMAN
LF - PAUL EMMEL
RF - GARY CEDERSTROM

WEATHER: 68 Degrees, partly cloudy
WIND: 13 mph, out to right</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL AT BOSTON
STARTING BATS: CLE - FAUSTO CARMONA AND VICTOR MARTINEZ
BOS - CURT SCHILLING AND JASON VARITEK

DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: G SIZEMORE (.250, 1 HR, 1 RBI)
A CABRERA (.286, 0 HR, 4 RBI)
T HAFNER (.158, 1 HR, 2 RBI)</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CLEVELAND 0 0 0 0
BOSTON 0 0 0 (BOT 1)

CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - FAUSTO CARMONA
BOS - CURT SCHILLING

DUE UP FOR BOSTON: D PEDROIA (.250, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
K YOUKILIS (.421, 2 HR, 4 RBI)
D ORTIZ (.400, 1 HR, 3 RBI)</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND (0) VS BOSTON (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS

CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
G Sizemore cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238
A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273
T Hafner dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .150
V Martinez c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316
R Garko 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .313
J Peralta ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286
K Lofton lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250
T Nixon rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250
C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316

Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Pedroia 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250
K Youkilis 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .421
D Ortiz dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .400
M Ramirez lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .471
M Lowell 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250
J Drew rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .313
J Varitek c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .211
J Ellsbury cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
J Lugo ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
CLEVELAND - 0 -- 0
BOSTON - -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era
F Carmona 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9.00

BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
C Schilling 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 7.94

Pitches-strikes: C Schilling 11-8. Ground balls-fly balls: C Schilling 2-0.
Batters faced: C Schilling 3.

UMPIRES: HP--Dana Demuth. 1B--Randy Marsh. 2B--Kerwin Danley. 3B--Brian
Gorman. LF--Paul Emmel. RF--Gary Cederstrom.

Weather: 67 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 13 mph, out to right.</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL AT BOSTON
CONFIRMED STARTERS: CLE - FAUSTO CARMONA
BOS - CURT SCHILLING</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL AT BOSTON - SCORING UPDATE
GRAND SLAM BY J.D. DREW (1) TO CENTER WITH 2 OUT IN THE 1ST
OFF FAUSTO CARMONA SCORED DUSTIN PEDROIA, KEVIN YOUKILIS AND DAVID
ORTIZ.
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 0, BOSTON 4

DUE UP FOR BOSTON: J VARITEK (.211, 1 HR, 4 RBI)</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CLEVELAND 0 0 0 0
BOSTON 4 4 3 0 (TOP 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - FAUSTO CARMONA
BOS - CURT SCHILLING

DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: V MARTINEZ (.316, 0 HR, 2 RBI)
R GARKO (.313, 0 HR, 1 RBI)
J PERALTA (.286, 2 HR, 7 RBI)</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND (0) VS BOSTON (4) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS

CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
G Sizemore cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238
A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273
T Hafner dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .150
V Martinez c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316
R Garko 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .313
J Peralta ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286
K Lofton lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250
T Nixon rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250
C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316

Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Pedroia 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .286
K Youkilis 1b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .450
D Ortiz dh 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .400
M Ramirez lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 .444
M Lowell 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 .238
J Drew rf 1 1 1 4 0 0 0 .353
J Varitek c 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .211
J Ellsbury cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000
J Lugo ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167

Totals 6 4 3 4 2 1 7

BATTING: HR - J Drew (1, 1st inning off F Carmona 3 on, 2 Out). RBI - J Drew 4
(4). 2-out RBI - J Drew 4. Team LOB - 1.


----------------------------------------------------
CLEVELAND - 0 -- 0
BOSTON - 4 -- 4
----------------------------------------------------

CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era
F Carmona 1 3 4 4 2 1 1 14.40

BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
C Schilling 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 7.94

Pitches-strikes: F Carmona 36-19; C Schilling 11-8. Ground balls-fly balls: F
Carmona 1-1; C Schilling 2-0. Batters faced: F Carmona 8; C Schilling 3.

UMPIRES: HP--Dana Demuth. 1B--Randy Marsh. 2B--Kerwin Danley. 3B--Brian
Gorman. LF--Paul Emmel. RF--Gary Cederstrom.

Weather: 67 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 13 mph, out to right.</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL AT BOSTON - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY VICTOR MARTINEZ (1) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 2ND OFF CURT SCHILLING.
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 1, BOSTON 4

DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: R GARKO (.313, 0 HR, 1 RBI)</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CLEVELAND 0 1 1 1 0
BOSTON 4 4 3 0 (BOT 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - FAUSTO CARMONA
BOS - CURT SCHILLING

DUE UP FOR BOSTON: J LUGO (.167, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
D PEDROIA (.286, 1-FOR-1)
K YOUKILIS (.450, 1-FOR-1)</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND (1) VS BOSTON (4) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS

CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
G Sizemore cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238
A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273
T Hafner dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .150
V Martinez c 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .350
R Garko 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .294
J Peralta ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273
K Lofton lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238
T Nixon rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250
C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316

Totals 7 1 1 1 0 2 0

BATTING: HR - V Martinez (1, 2nd inning off C Schilling 0 on, 0 Out). RBI - V
Martinez (3). Team LOB - 0.


BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Pedroia 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .286
K Youkilis 1b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .450
D Ortiz dh 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .400
M Ramirez lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 .444
M Lowell 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 .238
J Drew rf 1 1 1 4 0 0 0 .353
J Varitek c 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .211
J Ellsbury cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000
J Lugo ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167

Totals 6 4 3 4 2 1 7

BATTING: HR - J Drew (1, 1st inning off F Carmona 3 on, 2 Out). RBI - J Drew 4
(4). 2-out RBI - J Drew 4. Team LOB - 1.


----------------------------------------------------
CLEVELAND - 01 -- 1
BOSTON - 4 -- 4
----------------------------------------------------

CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era
F Carmona 1 3 4 4 2 1 1 14.40

BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
C Schilling 2 1 1 1 0 2 1 8.10

Pitches-strikes: F Carmona 36-19; C Schilling 22-16. Ground balls-fly balls:
F Carmona 1-1; C Schilling 3-1. Batters faced: F Carmona 8; C Schilling 7.

UMPIRES: HP--Dana Demuth. 1B--Randy Marsh. 2B--Kerwin Danley. 3B--Brian
Gorman. LF--Paul Emmel. RF--Gary Cederstrom.

Weather: 67 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 13 mph, out to right.</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CLEVELAND 0 1 1 1 0
BOSTON 4 0 4 5 0 (TOP 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - FAUSTO CARMONA
BOS - CURT SCHILLING

DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: T NIXON (.250, 0 HR, 1 RBI)
C BLAKE (.316, 1 HR, 2 RBI)
G SIZEMORE (.238, 0-FOR-1)</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND (1) VS BOSTON (4) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS

CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
G Sizemore cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238
A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273
T Hafner dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .150
V Martinez c 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .350
R Garko 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .294
J Peralta ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273
K Lofton lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238
T Nixon rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250
C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316

Totals 7 1 1 1 0 2 0

BATTING: HR - V Martinez (1, 2nd inning off C Schilling 0 on, 0 Out). RBI - V
Martinez (3). Team LOB - 0.

FIELDING: DP: 1 (J Peralta-R Garko).


BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Pedroia 2b 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 .318
K Youkilis 1b 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 .476
D Ortiz dh 1 1 0 0 1 0 2 .375
M Ramirez lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 .444
M Lowell 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 .238
J Drew rf 1 1 1 4 0 0 0 .353
J Varitek c 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .211
J Ellsbury cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000
J Lugo ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .158

Totals 10 4 5 4 2 2 9

BATTING: 2B - D Pedroia (2, F Carmona). HR - J Drew (1, 1st inning off F
Carmona 3 on, 2 Out). RBI - J Drew 4 (4). 2-out RBI - J Drew 4. GIDP - D Ortiz.
Team LOB - 2.


----------------------------------------------------
CLEVELAND - 01 -- 1
BOSTON - 40 -- 4
----------------------------------------------------

CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era
F Carmona 2 5 4 4 2 2 1 12.00

BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
C Schilling 2 1 1 1 0 2 1 8.10

Pitches-strikes: F Carmona 52-31; C Schilling 22-16. Ground balls-fly balls:
F Carmona 3-1; C Schilling 3-1. Batters faced: F Carmona 12; C Schilling 7.

UMPIRES: HP--Dana Demuth. 1B--Randy Marsh. 2B--Kerwin Danley. 3B--Brian
Gorman. LF--Paul Emmel. RF--Gary Cederstrom.

Weather: 67 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 13 mph, out to right.</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CLEVELAND 0 1 0 1 3 0
BOSTON 4 0 4 5 0 (BOT 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - FAUSTO CARMONA
BOS - CURT SCHILLING

DUE UP FOR BOSTON: M RAMIREZ (.444, 0-FOR-1)
M LOWELL (.238, 0-FOR-1)
J DREW (.353, 1-FOR-1, HR, 4 RBI)</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND (1) VS BOSTON (4) - MID 3RD - IN PROGRESS

CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
G Sizemore cf 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .227
A Cabrera 2b 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .261
T Hafner dh 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 .143
V Martinez c 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .350
R Garko 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .294
J Peralta ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273
K Lofton lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238
T Nixon rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .400
C Blake 3b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .350

Totals 12 1 3 1 0 2 5

BATTING: HR - V Martinez (1, 2nd inning off C Schilling 0 on, 0 Out). RBI - V
Martinez (3). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - T Hafner 1. Team LOB -
2.

FIELDING: DP: 1 (J Peralta-R Garko).


BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Pedroia 2b 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 .318
K Youkilis 1b 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 .476
D Ortiz dh 1 1 0 0 1 0 2 .375
M Ramirez lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 .444
M Lowell 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 .238
J Drew rf 1 1 1 4 0 0 0 .353
J Varitek c 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .211
J Ellsbury cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000
J Lugo ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .158

Totals 10 4 5 4 2 2 9

BATTING: 2B - D Pedroia (2, F Carmona). HR - J Drew (1, 1st inning off F
Carmona 3 on, 2 Out). RBI - J Drew 4 (4). 2-out RBI - J Drew 4. GIDP - D Ortiz.
Team LOB - 2.


----------------------------------------------------
CLEVELAND - 010 -- 1
BOSTON - 40 -- 4
----------------------------------------------------

CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era
F Carmona 2 5 4 4 2 2 1 12.00

BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
C Schilling 3 3 1 1 0 2 1 7.04

Pitches-strikes: F Carmona 52-31; C Schilling 40-27. Ground balls-fly balls:
F Carmona 3-1; C Schilling 4-3. Batters faced: F Carmona 12; C Schilling 12.

UMPIRES: HP--Dana Demuth. 1B--Randy Marsh. 2B--Kerwin Danley. 3B--Brian
Gorman. LF--Paul Emmel. RF--Gary Cederstrom.

Weather: 67 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 13 mph, out to right.</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL AT BOSTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY J.D. DREW SCORED MANNY RAMIREZ.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J DREW ON FIRST, M LOWELL ON SECOND, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 1
BOSTON 5 BOTTOM, 3RD

DUE UP FOR BOSTON: J VARITEK (.211, 0-FOR-0, BB)</div>

 

AL: CLEVELAND at BOSTON

<div class="pre">AL AT BOSTON - PITCHING CHANGE
CLE: RAFAEL PEREZ (0-0, 40.50) IN THE 3RD
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J DREW ON FIRST, M LOWELL ON SECOND, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 1, BOSTON 5

DUE UP FOR BOSTON: J VARITEK (.211, 0-FOR-0)</div>