Pivotal Game 6

Remarkable stats regarding the "pivotal" nature of game 6s in baseball playoffs. "Since 1975, the visiting team in Game 6 has led the series in 24 League Championship Series and World Series. On 13 occasions, the visiting team won Game 6 -- more than you'd expect. Eleven times, the home team has won both Games 6 and 7 -- again, more than simple probability would predict. However, one outcome almost never happens. Only once, in last season's NLCS, has the home team won Game 6 then failed to win Game 7," writes Thomas Boswell.

In other words, if a leading road team can't close out the series in game 6, they are almost automatic to lose game 7 - at least since 1975. With that trend in mind, Boston couldn't be set up more perfectly - or as perfectly as they could trailing 3 games to 2 - to send Curt Schilling, the league's premier big game pitcher, to the mound tonight.