A good game last night, featuring the Return of the Product, as David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez reminded us all that whan they’re both on, they’re the league’s most-feared one-two combo. Their back-to-back singles in the seventh inning helped bust open a stalemate and helped propel Curt Schilling to his third victory of 2007.

But all of this was really background to another drama that unfolded, when Orioles broadcaster Gary Thorne noted matter-of-factly that Schill’s infamous bloody sock was actually… painted. Even better, Thorne claimed this insider info came straight from the mouth of… Doug Mirabelli.

Today’s Globe has a detailed piece on the controversy, which includes commentary from everyone from Theo (“I couldn’t give two [expletives] about what was on his sock, I care that we won the game.”) to Kev Millar (“It was definitely blood. He had some stitches there. It was a hell of an injury at the time. So I think that was more [Mirabelli possibly] messing with Schilling.”).

I see the makings of a NESN special for the ages. I mean, the sock is in Cooperstown. Can’t they just bust in on it, run some DNA tests or somethin’, and determine once and for all that, yeah, this is blood and the Red Sox won the motherf–king 2004 World Series and would you please just get off this sh-t and move along. Get Willem Dafoe to host it, music by John Carpenter. We can work with this, NESN. Call me.

I don’t need anyone asking me who I believe. Schilling is my co-pilot. Nuff said.

Oh, and Alex Cora goes 2-4 with a home run? See you in September, Dustin!