Schilling sharp as Red Sox beat Rangers
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Curt Schilling pitched seven strong innings and David Ortiz drove in three runs as the Boston Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 7-3 in American League play on Monday.
It was an impressive season debut for Schilling, who is looking to regain the form that made him the 2004 World Series MVP after an injury-plagued 2005.
He allowed just two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and a walk and appeared to show no ill effects from the ankle problems that hampered him for most of last season.
"It's huge," Schilling told mlb.com after the game on how important it was to have a good start to the season.
"I spent all spring trying to figure it out and not really knowing until we got here how it was going to go.
"The first couple of innings, I didn't feel like I was throwing exceptionally hard. I felt very normal and the ball was coming out of my hand good. It was very encouraging."
Boston manager Terry Francona was pleased with his team's overall play, as the Red Sox won its first opening day game since 2000.
"It was a good day," Francona told reporters.
"If you could kind of draw it up, that would be a pretty good way. We scored first, we added on, they come back and score, we come right back and score and give ourselves some breathing room."
The 39-year-old Schilling departed after seven innings and 117 pitches. Jonathan Papelbon tossed a scoreless inning of relief and Keith Foulke, also recovering from an injury plagued 2005, allowed a run on two hits but got the last three outs.
BIG THING
Jason Varitek hit a two-run double for the Red Sox to open the scoring in the fourth inning and Ortiz's two-run homer in the fifth off loser Kevin Millwood increased Boston's lead to 5-0 after Mark Loretta's run-scoring double.
Ortiz added an RBI double in the seventh and Mike Lowell homered in the eighth to account for the other Boston runs.
New leadoff hitter Coco Crisp scored a pair of runs and had a hit.
Millwood allowed five runs on seven hits in five innings to take the loss, striking out three and walking one.
Hank Blalock hit a two-run homer off Schilling in the sixth and Laynce Nix's sacrifice fly in the ninth scored Blalock with the game's final run.
Texas had seven hits, with Blalock finishing with two hits, two RBI's and two runs scored.
"The big thing was Curt Schilling, he was obviously on top of his game," Texas manager Buck Showalter told reporters.
"We ran into a great pitcher today. It's disappointing."
In Baltimore, Luis Matos, Melvin Mora, Miguel Tejada and Jeff Conine all homered as the Orioles opened their season with a 9-6 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Rodrigo Lopez picked up the win, allowing five runs on seven hits in seven innings of work. Rookie Chris Ray got the last three outs for his first Major League save.
Scott Kazmir gave up six runs in four innings and took the loss. Jonny Gomes and Travis Lee homered for Tampa Bay.
In Kansas City, Kenny Rogers and two relievers combined on a four-hitter as the Detroit Tigers opened with a 3-1 win over the Royals.
Chris Shelton homered twice for the Tigers in their first game under new manager Jim Leyland.
(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Indianapolis)
