History project for Schilling

CLEVELAND -- A year ago, Curt Schilling recorded his fifth win on Aug. 19, pulling even at 5-5. Tonight, three weeks and one day into the 2006 season, he can reach a major league-leading 5-0. That would position Schilling in the company of only two other Red Sox pitchers.

According to the thorough research of new Sox executive John Blake, the only two Sox pitchers to win five games in April are Babe Ruth (1917) and Pedro Martínez (2000). Martínez also is the most recent Sox pitcher to win his first five starts, also in 2000, when he lost his sixth start.

As a Red Sox pitcher, Schilling has beaten 12 of the 13 AL opponents, with the lone exception of (drumroll, please) tonight's opponent, the Indians. He has faced them just once with Boston, on May 3, 2004, losing, 2-1, at Jacobs Field. Catcher Victor Martinez cranked a two-run homer in the first inning, after which Schilling settled in. He retired 12 of the last 14 batters he faced, pitching seven innings.

As of yesterday afternoon, Schilling led AL starters in WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) at 0.75, wins (4), and batting average against (.172), and was second in ERA (1.61). Lefthanded hitters are batting just .159 (7 for 44) off the 39-year-old righthander.

''Somebody to anchor your staff is huge," manager Terry Francona said. ''Everybody gets nicked along the way, but there's no reason that he can't have a great year. It all revolves around health, and his health is great."

Schilling is one of a number of aging pitchers performing well so far. Seven major league starters (Schilling, Tim Wakefield, Jamie Moyer, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Kenny Rogers, and Tom Glavine) are 40 or will turn 40 this season, and those pitchers, as of yesterday, were a combined 17-9 with a 2.70 ERA.

Another Blake-produced factoid: In notching his league-leading eighth save (in eight chances) Sunday, Jonathan Papelbon became just the third pitcher ever to log at least eight April saves without having saved a game in a previous season. As soon as tonight he could tie the record for the most April saves ever for a pitcher with no previous saves. Eric Gagne saved nine games in April 2002 for Los Angeles. Rookie Mike MacDougal saved nine games for the Royals by the end of April 2003, though one save came March 31 . . . The Sox on Sunday credited Papelbon with surpassing Dick Radatz's club record for most saves to begin a major league career without blowing a save. Radatz, in 1962, saved seven in a row before blowing one. However, Papelbon had one save chance last summer and blew it, Aug. 27 vs. the Tigers, when he entered in the sixth inning with a 7-5 lead, gave up three runs, and absorbed both the loss and a blown save. So Papelbon didn't really break Radatz's record. The club record the Sox will credit Papelbon with: most consecutive saves in a closer's role to begin a major league career.

Presumably, the marketing people on Yawkey Way would love to host the hockey Beanpot at Fenway Park some year. For now, they're sticking to the Beanpot Baseball Classic. The championship game is today at 5 p.m., pitting Boston College against Harvard. UMass and Northeastern square off in the consolation game at 1. Tickets, sold at Gate D, are $5 for the doubleheader, with proceeds benefitting the Red Sox Foundation . . . The Sox, at last check, still intend to start Lenny DiNardo (0-1, 7.43 ERA) Friday at Tampa Bay. If he is hit hard again, the Sox do have options at Pawtucket. Abe Alvarez is 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA. Matt Ginter, who appeared in 14 games (one start) with the Tigers last season, going 0-1 with a 6.17 ERA, is 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA for Pawtucket. Ginter, 28, is coming off eight scoreless innings in his last outing, in which he allowed just two hits and one walk. He fanned six . . . Alex Gonzalez scored his first run of the season Sunday . . . Tough back-to-back draws for the Sox. They leave behind the Blue Jays, who as of yesterday were leading the majors in hitting (.311) and slugging (.513). They now get the Indians, who ended the weekend second in the majors in hitting (.306) and runs (114). The Sox, meanwhile, were 18th in runs (90) and 19th in batting (.259).