Monday's game preview

The Sox, fresh off sweeping the Orioles in Baltimore, begin a four-game set with the Blue Jays at Fenway. They have climbed back into a tie for first in the AL East with the Stinkins, who go into Baltimore for four with the Orioles after the Sox just finished softening them up.

Of course, the Sox and Stinkins meet for three at Fenway to end the regular season.

Cleveland still leads the Wild Card race, up a 1/2 game over both the Sox and Stinkins. Oakland is 6.5 games out in the Wild Card, four games behind the Angels in the AL West, and quickly running out of time to catch up. The Indians, who are 8-2 in their last 10 games, trail the White Sox by only 2.5 games in the AL Central.

Tonight the Sox send Schill (7-8. 5.89) to the hill against Toronto's Dave Bush (5-10, 4.45). The pitchers' numbers say high-scoring game, but this is the stretch run to the playoffs, and Schilling has come up big in big situations throughout his career. If he's anywhere close to healthy, look for him to have a strong outing. And if Manny Ramirez has indeed found his home-run stroke and Edgar Renteria can stay hot, David Ortiz might not have to do it all himself for a change.