Completely satisfying

Curt Schilling lives for the late innings. It's something that goes back to the days when Johnny Podres, the wily Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher, coached Schilling in the Red Sox farm system.

Podres told the youthful Schilling, "You make your reputation as a starter pitching in the big leagues after the sixth inning."

"It's something I always prided myself on," said Schilling, who yesterday became the first Sox pitcher to throw a complete game this season in a 9-1 win over the Royals at Fenway Park. "I believe that you set goals for a season when you're young. And if you stay in the game long enough, you realize the one goal you have more control over than any other is innings pitched.

"If you pitch your innings, all the other numbers are going to take care of themselves. So that's what I try to do. I want to make my 35, 36 starts. I want to pitch 200-something innings, and if I do that, all the other numbers will take care of themselves."

The numbers fell into place yesterday, but Schilling had to talk manager Terry Francona into keeping him in the game.

"The complete game meant more to Schill than it did to me," said Francona. "When pitchers go out there, they intend to throw nine innings. You have to be awfully good to stay out there nine innings.

"Pitchers show up every five days, and that start is the most important thing in their life."

Did Schilling assure Francona he was fresh heading into the final inning?

"Oh, about 10 times -- so did Wally [pitching coach Dave Wallace]," said Francona. "Everybody thought it was the right thing. He deserved to be in there. But, again, you tend to be a worrywart watching from where I am. He was fine. He would never have been in that game if I had any qualms about him being in that game."

It wasn't that easy, according to Schilling. "It was like negotiating with Theo [Epstein] again for a few minutes," Schilling said. "It was a cool day. I felt strong."

He has thought about situations like yesterday's many times since signing in November.

"I've been thinking about it for five or six months," Schilling said. "Being on the mound at Fenway Park in the ninth inning with two outs. I wanted to finish this one."

The Fenway Faithful cheering every pitch helped the experience surpass his expectations.

"It's been a lot more than I thought it would be," he said. "That's why I look so forward to pitching in this park every time. It's just a charge.

"I thought I knew what it would be like, but it's so much more than I thought it would be. These fans are great. I love that part of the game when they are into it like that. There is a consistent intensity here. The fans are always in the game and always aware of what's going on. They're smart to a fault sometimes, and as a player you appreciate that. I do, anyway. I love it.

Schilling started strong, retiring the first six batters, striking out four. He worked himself out of a mini-jam in the third, and his only bad pitch after that was a splitter that Kansas City catcher Benito Santiago, the only batter who had faced Schilling more than 13 times in his career, hit into the Monster seats in the fifth for the Royals' only run.

Schilling, who threw 120 pitches (85 strikes), picked up his first complete game since last May 14 when his Diamondbacks blanked the Phillies, 2-0, in Philadelphia.

He struck out eight, didn't walk a batter, and scattered five hits (all on offspeed pitches) for his 80th career complete game, fourth among active pitchers.

After the gopher ball to Santiago, Schilling faced 10 batters in the last three innings and allowed only a single by Angel Berroa.

"After the sixth inning, I felt I reached another level," said Schilling. "I really focus out-to-out as the game goes. Once I get through the sixth, there are nine outs left. And I work backward from nine, and stay focused on the hitter and understand that there is very little left to the game.

"I felt like I wanted to strike out the side in the ninth the way those fans were. I was overthrowing a little bit, but I was able to keep it in check and made the pitches."

As for throwing 120 pitches, he said, "I felt great. This weather [50 degrees at game time] works for me. The cool weather allows me to stay strong. You don't get drained and I try to use it to my advantage."

He did that yesterday.