Ryan Spilborghs of the Rockies can’t believe it after striking out in the fifth last night.

Journal photo / Glenn Osmundson

BOSTON — When the seventh inning rolled around in Game One of the World Series Wednesday night, the Red Sox had a 13-1 lead.

Last night in Game Two, the Sox were ahead by only 2-1 in the top of the seventh.

Much different type of game. But, in the end, the same result.

While the Rockies were successful in putting their Game One drubbing behind them, the Sox still pulled out the 2-1 victory and lead the best-of-seven series, two games to none.

The key play was a pickoff of Matt Holliday by Jonathan Papelbon to end the eighth inning, and end the Rockies’ last threat. Papelbon had taken over for Hideki Okajima, who had thrown 2 1/3 innings of perfect relief, and surrendered a single to Holliday. But Papelbon picked him off — details are available in Steven Krasner’s Inside The Game on Page C7 — and that was Colorado’s last gasp.

It’ll probably go down as one of the biggest outs of my career so far.

“They gave me the pick (sign) from the dugout,” said Papelbon. “I’m not sure if he was going (to steal) or not or what, but I made the the throw. It’ll probably go down as one of the biggest outs of my career so far.”

The victory gives the Red Sox a huge edge in the series. Of the 50 teams that jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the World Series prior to this year, 39 of them — 78 percent — went on to win the championship.

But the Sox don’t want to hear any of that.

“I think what we’ve said all along, and it’ll never change and we’re really good at it, is we play the game ahead of us. That’s the most important thing on our radar,” said manager Terry Francona.

The one way the Rockies attempted to stifle the streaking Boston offense was to keep the hitters off balance by pitching in. Colorado starter Ubaldo Jimenez, the crafty right-hander, had no fear throwing up and tight on the Red Sox hitters, especially Kevin Youkilis and Julio Lugo.

That game plan worked and Boston couldn’t produce offensively until the fourth inning when J.D. Drew’s one-out single snapped Jimenez’s no-hit bid. On that play, it was the hustle of Mike Lowell, who went from first to third on the hit to right-center field that proved crucial.

Lowell barely slid safely into the bag, but the heads-up play put the potential game-tying run 90 feet away.

Varitek lifted a high fly ball to deep center field for a sacrifice fly, scoring Lowell to tie the game at 1-1.

It was obvious Jimenez was tiring in the middle innings and after he recorded two quick outs in the bottom of the fifth, the right-hander walked Ortiz before Ramirez singled. Lowell provided an RBI-double to give Boston a 2-1 lead.

That was the end of Jimenez’s night. He worked 4 2/3 and surrendered two runs on three hits with five walks and two strikeouts.

Because the Red Sox were able to run the Rockies’ starter early in the game, Boston took advantage of the bullpen for the second consecutive game.

Meanwhile, Curt Schilling continued to cruise before he was given the hook in the top of the sixth inning.

The right-hander allowed a one-out single to Matt Holliday, his third hit of the game, and Schilling followed with a walk to the always-dangerous Todd Helton.

So, Francona made the decision to pull the ace and replaced him with Hideki Okajima.

“He was fighting it,” said Francona of Schilling. “We had some long innings, some pitching changes [by Colorado that extended the innings] and the last thing we want is to have someone give up a run because they’re stiffening up. So it was time to get him out of there.”

“I had trouble,” said Schilling. “I thought I had trouble commanding the baseball that inning.”

Schilling’s night ended after 5 1/3 where he surrendered one run on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

But the move worked to perfection as the crafty lefty recorded the last two outs to end the threat, retired five more after that, and handed it to Papelbon for the final four outs.

“This was the Pap-ajima Show tonight,” joked Schilling.

Now the series shifts west to Colorado for Games Three, Four and possibly Five.

jmcdonal@projo.com