Can Schill match Beckett?

Josh Beckett gave the Red Sox an "A+" effort in Game 5 of the ALCS on Thursday night. With the Red Sox trailing 3-1, Boston needed Beckett's best and got it. The performance was reminiscent of Game 5 of the 2003 NLCS when Beckett pitched a gem with the Marlins trailing three games to one. Beckett's strikeout-walk numbers were the same on this date as they were four years ago, and the victory came just as easily.

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Now it's up to Curt Schilling to match that effort in Game 6 to get the series even, which won't be easy against Fausto Carmona. Schilling knows something about Game 6, with his team trailing, 3-2. His last appearance in such a contest was one in which he won, doing so with the famous "bloody sock."

BECKETT GRADES GEM MINT: STARTS WHEN TRAILING, 3-1
	2007 ALCS Game 5	2003 NLCS Game 5
Opponent	Indians	Cubs
IP	8	9
R-H	1-5	0-2
K-BB	11-1	11-1
Result	W, 7-1	*W, 4-0
Pitcher K-BB	42-14	23-16
* -- Marlins won series in seven games

Editor's Note: Detroit Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson looks ahead to Saturday's Game 6 of the ALCS in which Fausto Carmona will start for the Indians against Curt Schilling of the Red Sox in a rematch of Game 2.

Look for the Boston fans to conquer and defeat what they saw the Cleveland fans do in Jacobs Field. The Indians' fans did an amazing job of keeping the momentum going for Cleveland and keeping that stadium energized. The Indians fed off that energy and were able to take two of the three games and that's a part of the reason why they are in the driver's seat in this series.

The Red Sox aren't excited to be facing Fausto Carmona because he is a top-of-the-line starter, but they should be confident going into Fenway Park with Curt Schilling taking the mound for them. His Game 2 hiccup aside, his playoff experience and success will give this team an extra boost of confidence going into Game 6.

Schilling has been on that mound before with a big game on the line and has come through. The Red Sox also know that their lineup hits far better in the friendly confines of Fenway Park and that the next two games are on their home turf in front of their fans who will be screaming their heads off trying to will them to their second World Series this decade.

Following is a brief excerpt from Rob Neyer's chat Thursday night. Join Rob again Saturday night when he chats during Game 6 of the ALCS:

sas (CT): So is "Manny being Manny" really a legitimate excuse for his comments about winning not really mattering?

Neyer: I'm not sure why the guy's being pilloried for being honest about his feelings. As long as he produces when he plays, who cares whether or not he's going to cry if the Red Sox lose?