Red Sox top Rockies, take 2-0 series lead

BOSTON (AP) — First a blowout, then a nail-biter. October ace Curt Schilling and Boston’s stingy bullpen figured out another way to stop Colorado.

Relying more on guile than pure gas, Schilling pitched the Red Sox to a 2-1 victory Thursday night and a 2-0 lead in the World Series over the suddenly stagnant Rockies.

Mike Lowell hit a tiebreaking double in the fifth and the Red Sox got 3 2/3 innings of shutout relief from Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon to win their sixth straight Series game, including a sweep of St. Louis in 2004.

That victory ended an 86-year title drought and set off a wild winter of celebrations all over New England. Two more wins this year and the party’s on again.