A nice restart for Schilling

FORT MILL, S.C. -- Curt Schilling was mighty sharp for a guy who went 66 days between starts.

Schilling, who last fall helped the Red Sox win their first World Series since 1918, limited the Charlotte Knights to one run and five hits in five innings at Knights Stadium last night in his first injury rehabilitation start for the Pawtucket Red Sox.

''I thought it was a very positive step," Schilling said. ''There was some progression from first through fifth. In the fourth and fifth, I felt like I started to pitch. A lot of progression, as much mentally as physically."

Of his 78 pitches, 57 were strikes. His lone three-ball count was against the batter he walked, and Schilling retired 7 of 8 hitters to end his stint. The Knights rallied in the ninth to beat the PawSox, 5-4.

As he exited, Schilling flipped his blue cap into the crowd, which was standing and cheering. Knights Stadium was flooded with Red Sox jerseys, including dozens of Schilling's No. 38, and others of Jason Varitek, Johnny Damon, and Nomar Garciaparra.

The corner near the visiting bullpen, a haven for autograph seekers, was 10 rows deep when Schilling came out to warm up. Normally, there are three or four people. He got more applause than any homestanding Knight.

''I heard it, heard it all," Schilling said. ''They were unbelievable. It was very much appreciated. That's Red Sox Nation."

He consistently topped 90 miles per hour on his fastball, and mixed in breaking balls consistently. At one point, he threw 15 straight strikes.

Schilling hadn't pitched in a game since bruising his ankle in a start against Tampa Bay April 23. He was 1-2 with an 8.15 ERA in his three starts with the Red Sox before he went on the disabled list.

''The last two innings I just relaxed and tried to pitch instead of just throwing the ball," he said. ''When I warmed up, I felt phenomenal."

The PawSox staked Schilling to a 3-0 lead before he threw a pitch. Roberto Petagine's RBI single came one pitch before Kelly Shoppach's two-run home run to left in the first.

Charlotte got its only run off Schilling in the third. Jamie Burke blooped a single to right and Roosevelt Brown walked. Jorge Toca then lined a 1-and-2 pitch for a single to center to score Burke. The throw to the plate beat Burke, but Shoppach dropped it.

Schilling got his first strikeout in the fourth inning, fanning the Knights' Joe Borchard on a 92-m.p.h. fastball. He was ahead, 3-1, when he came out after the fifth inning.

Schilling appeared to move well, covering first base easily on a grounder.

The plan is for another rehab start, probably Monday against Charlotte in Pawtucket, R.I., and if that goes well, a return to the Red Sox.

''I'm leery because I've done this before," Schilling said. ''It's been almost seven months since I pitched a good game. It's been tough for me since Game 4 of the World Series. Just having a three-up, three-down inning I'd forgotten about."

It wasn't Schilling's first appearance in the area. He pitched at Knights Stadium in 1988 as an Orioles minor leaguer.