WORCESTER, Mass. -- Republican Scott Brown tapped into New England's love of its sports teams to rally voter support in his race for Senate.

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher and World Series champion Curt Schilling and former Boston College and NFL quarterback Doug Flutie appeared with Brown at a rally Sunday in Worcester.

Brown is seeking to build on momentum from polls showing the race to fill the late Edward Kennedy's U.S. Senate seat too close to call. His rally took place just moments before President Barack Obama arrived in Boston to campaign for Democrat Martha Coakley.

More than 2,000 supporters filled Mechanics Hall in Worcester, chanting "U.S.A." and "Shame on Martha" as Brown thanked them for their backing, took a few jabs at Obama and Coakley, and urged supporters to get out to the polls on election day.

He said the Democratic "machine" is working overtime trying to deny him a victory and he said it's up to voters to prove them wrong.

"The establishment is afraid of losing their Senate seat," he said. "You can all remind them that this is not their seat, it is yours."

Flutie likened Brown's late surge in the polls and his chance of victory to Flutie's famed Hail Mary pass to beat Miami in 1984.

Schilling said the energy in the auditorium was similar to a locker room before a decisive match.

"There's one thing left, we need to play the game," he said. "We have to go out and vote."

Brown also was joined by a celebrity from closer to home, his daughter Ayla, a former contestant on "American Idol."

The rally capped a day that saw Brown tour the Springfield and Worcester area, shaking hands at a local diner and greeting campaign workers along with former Republican Gov. Paul Cellucci.

“Many people in Massachusetts are not happy with what’s happening in Washington,” Cellucci told NewsCenter 5’s Kimberly Bookman. “I think President Obama coming in actually helps Scott Brown.”