BESTS
First impression: Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima, the first Japanese-born pitcher to play in a World Series. Okajima was signed for peanuts in the offseason while Game 3 starter Daisuke Matsuzaka got the big bucks – and headlines. But Okajima was outstanding in middle relief and retired all seven hitters he faced Thursday.
Entrance: Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon, to the strains of “Wild Thing” blaring over the loudspeaker and the Fenway faithful singing along.
WORSTS
Baserunning: Matt Holliday, getting picked off first with two out in the eighth, without Todd Helton seeing a pitch.
Power outage: Rockies hitters, they of the four extra-base hits in this series.
Odds: History says the Rockies are in deep trouble. Of the 50 teams that have led the Word Series 2-0, 39 won the Series, including the past six.
KEYS TO THE GAME
HERO
Crafty Curt. Curt Schilling, Mr. Bloody Sock himself, who improved to 11-2 all time in postseason play, including 3-0 this season, putting one more notch in his Hall of Fame résumé.
GOAT
Power outage. Rockies sluggers, who again failed to get anything more than a single. Matt Holliday had four singles, but got picked off first base representing the tying run in the eighth inning.
TURNING POINT
A walk is a run. A two-out, bases-empty walk issued by Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez in the fifth inning. Pitching coach Bob Apodaca had been urging the rookie to challenge Red Sox hitters, but Jimenez ran up high pitch totals after the first inning. After David Ortiz walked on a 3-2 pitch, Manny Ramirez singled with two strikes. Mike Lowell then drove in the game-winner, a single to left, knocking out Jimenez.
