Schilling

BOSTON — As usual, Curt Schilling was fired up.

The Red Sox ace was cruising through the first four innings yesterday, his eighth start of the season, when he hit a rough patch and allowed a combined four runs over the fifth and sixth innings as the Baltimore Orioles tied the game at 4-4 off the veteran right-hander.

The fifth wasn’t that bad. He surrendered doubles to Jay Gibbons and Brian Roberts to account for one run. In the sixth, however, he allowed three consecutive singles to lead off the inning and all three runners eventually scored.

Schilling felt he was in control of the strike zone and even had words with home-plate umpire Chris Guccione when the bases were juiced in the sixth.

“He missed a couple (of calls),” said Schilling. “He is a good umpire, but that was a huge part of the game and I made the pitch. I mean, it is frustrating, but it happens.”

It’s the third no-decision Schilling (4-1) has posted this season, and even though the numbers don’t look good from yesterday’s scoresheet, Red Sox manager Terry Francona thought his starter was good.

“It was a perfect day for him to pitch,” said Francona. “It was cool and crisp and he likes to pitch like that. He threw a lot of first-pitch strikes and was pitching a heck of a game.”

Schilling dismissed that notion, and as always, took the blame for his outing and said he didn’t execute his pitches.

Out of luck

When the ball left the bat, the Sox’ J.D. Drew thought he had crushed a three-run homer to right.

But when you’re scuffling at the plate as badly as Drew has been, luck isn’t on your side. And he had the misfortune of hitting his ball into the strong wind in the corner, which pushed it back to right fielder Nick Markakis.

The long flyout moved both runners up a base, but it wasn’t the big hit that Drew, in a 6-for-46 skid, had been seeking.

“On any other day in any ballpark, that was a home run,” said Drew.

“That’s just the way it has been going. I hit the ball hard at the shortstop (robbed of a two-run hit by a leaping Miguel Tejada) Friday night and then in the first inning today, (Orioles second baseman) Brian Roberts made a great play (in the hole) on me.

“I feel like I’m on the ball, but I’m just not getting good results,” said Drew.

Drew did, however, stick in a base hit yesterday, drilling an opposite-field RBI single in the eighth.

His average, which was at .375 17 games ago, is now .255.

Okajima rolls on

Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima continues to impress. The crafty left-hander extended his scoreless streak to 17 2/3 innings and has allowed only seven hits during that stretch. Yesterday, the Japanese import worked 1 2/3 and surrendered just two hits with one strikeout to lower his ERA to 0.48.

“With the way he’s pitched, the biggest decision is not to overuse him,” said Francona.

Okajima has retired 50 of the last 59 batters he’s faced.

It was time

Fans might want to know why Francona decided to use closer Jonathan Papelbon with the Red Sox holding a nine-run lead in the ninth inning. It obviously was not a save situation, but nonetheless the fiery right-hander needed to see some game action.

“With ‘Pap,’ you certainly have to pick and choose,” said Francona. “We had gotten to a point where we needed to pitch him in a game. We’re very relieved it was an extended inning. He’s thrown twice now in the bullpen without getting into the game, and he needs to get into the game so he can save the one-run game tomorrow and the next night.”

Papelbon threw just 13 pitches in the ninth inning and allowed just one hit and recorded one strikeout. He has 10 saves on the season.

Timlin still ailing

Red Sox veteran reliever Mike Timlin had his right shoulder examined on Friday night and there was no change. He’s been on the DL since May 3 with tendinitis and Francona said Timlin will be reevaluated tomorrow before a decision is made.

skrasner@projo.com