The pitcher every Sox fan hates to watch was up to his old tricks in the first inning last night at Tropicana Field. Daisuke Matsuzaka walked the bases loaded to open the American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, and the groan that rippled across Red Sox Nation said it all.
Here we go again.
Then Matsuzaka recorded an out. And another. And another. And another. The frustration of what often felt like the worst 18-3 season in history was nowhere to be found. Acquired in part because of what he could do in big games, Matsuzaka was an assassin. And the BoSox needed it.
Dice-K didn’t allow a hit until the seventh, making Jed Lowrie’s fifth inning sacrifice fly stand as the Sox drew first blood and stole homefield advantage with a taut 2-0 victory over the Rays. Victory wasn’t assured until rookie Justin Masterson retired Rookie of the Year lock Evan Longoria on a double play grounder to end the eighth. Closer Jonathan Papelbon then stayed perfect in the postseason with a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.
But the story was Matsuzaka. He left after allowing consecutive hits to open the eighth, Tampa Bay’s third and fourth hits of the game. He struck out nine and escaped a two-on, none-out jam in the seventh.
The Rays finally recorded a hit in the seventh when Carl Crawford lined a clean single to right. They were still in the game at that point because Matsuzaka was matched nearly pitch for pitch by Rays starter James Shields, who limited the Sox to two runs and six hits through 7 innings, aided by some outstanding defense.
The Sox gave Matsuzaka the only run he’d need in the fifth, though Tampa Bay’s sterling glovework minimized the damage. Lowrie’s sacrifice fly scored Jason Bay, but Mark Kotsay was stranded at third when second baseman Akinori Iwamura smothered a Jason Varitek shot with the infield in, followed by shortstop Jason Bartlett’s excellent over-the-shoulder running catch of Jacoby Ellsbury’s bloop in short left.
Meanwhile, Matsuzaka was cruising. His biggest scare came in the seventh with runners at first and third and none out. In short order, Matsuzaka popped Dioner Navarro to left, struck out Gabe Gross and got Bartlett to ground to short. Inning over, 1-0 lead preserved.
The Sox tacked on a run in the eighth. Pedroia singled with one out to chase Shields. Two batters later Kevin Youkilis doubled off the glove of a sliding Crawford in left to plate the insurance run.
That made a winner of Matsuzaka, who was only frustrating to watch for those wearing Rays colors.
