Schilling Beats Cubs for 20th Win

Curt Schilling put up some impressive numbers Friday--the type of numbers that are becoming routine for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ ace right-hander.

Schilling won his major-league-leading 20th game in Arizona’s 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, making him the fastest pitcher to 20 wins since Atlanta’s John Smoltz in 1996. Friday’s game was the Diamondbacks’ 122nd of the season; Smoltz, who finished 24-8 in 1996, won his 20th in the Braves’ 121st game.

“I’m very proud of it,” Schilling said after becoming a 20-game winner for the second consecutive season. “I had the pitch count up a little bit in the middle innings, but I got some early outs and the pitch count came down.”

Schilling retired 18 consecutive Cubs after Bill Mueller’s third-inning single and was an out away from a shutout when Sammy Sosa smacked a 1-2 pitch into the bleachers in right-center field. After Fred McGriff followed with a single, Arizona Manager Bob Brenly called on reliever Byung-Hyun Kim to get the final out, which he did when Corey Patterson flied out after Moises Alou had singled.

Schilling (20-4) struck out 12 and yielded six hits, a run and no walks. He has struck out 45 and walked only one over his last five games. For the season, he has walked only 19. No Cub leadoff hitter reached base, and only two Cubs went to three balls. Schilling threw 88 strikes out of 118 pitches.

“He was outstanding,” Brenly said. “He had a great game plan and went out and executed the way we’ve seen him do so many times this year. He’s a man on a mission. He’s the most prepared pitcher I have ever seen. Physically and mentally, he’s on top of his game.”

Assuming the players don’t strike, Schilling has an excellent chance to become the first pitcher to win 25 games since Oakland’s Bob Welch went 27-6 in 1990. The last National League pitcher to win at least 25 was Steve Carlton, who was 27-10 with Philadelphia in 1972.

There hasn’t been a 30-game winner since Detroit’s Denny McLain in 1968, and there isn’t likely to be one any time soon.

“Everything has to go perfectly,” Schilling said. “In a five-man rotation you get 35 to 36 starts.”

Friday’s start was Schilling’s 27th. He has gone at least six innings in all of them, and at least seven innings 24 times.

“I’m sure there have been other runs [like this] in the past,” Brenly said, “but I find it hard to believe anybody has put together a better string than he has this season.”

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Winners’ Circle

*--* Top National League pitchers based on winning percentage (13 decisions): Pitcher, team Rec Pct ERA Curt Schilling, Arizona 20-4 833 2.69 Randy Johnson, Arizona 18-4 818 2.55 Wade Miller, Houston 10-3 769 4.06 Greg Maddux, Atlanta 11-4 733 2.51 Tom Glavine, Atlanta 16-6 727 2.60 Jason Jennings, Colorado 13-5 722 4.17 Roy Oswalt, Houston 14-6 700 3.20

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