Dice-K baffles Rays’ hitters
Commentary

By Patrick Obley

Published: October 12, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — During the course of three remarkable days and nights 10 years ago, Daisuke Matsuzaka crafted what would come to be known as the "Legend of the Summer Koshien.”

One of Japan’s most prestigious amateur tournaments, the Summer Koshien of 1998 was Matsuzaka’s playground. On the first night, he threw 250 pitches in a 17-inning victory. On the second night, he came in from left field to close out a come-from-behind win.

On the third night, he threw a no-hitter.

During the course of six remarkable innings Friday night at Tropicana Field, Matsuzaka flirted with the stuff of legends once more. His efforts eventually were rewarded in Boston’s 2-0 victory against Tampa Bay in the opener of the American League Championship Series.

The Red Sox’s $100 million Japanese import flummoxed the Rays with no-hit ball for six innings by being consistently inconsistent. By the time Carl Crawford lined a leadoff single into right field to start the Rays’ half of the seventh inning, Matsuzaka had thrown 52 strikes and 47 balls.

"Just as usual, I had a tough time getting going,” Matsuzaka said through a translator. "I got a pretty good sweat going in the first inning, so I felt warmed up and ready to go after that.”

Perhaps not quite up to the "Koshien” standard, but impressive nonetheless.

Impressive, though not entirely unexpected for the Red Sox. In going 18-3 with a 2.90 earned-run average during the regular season, Matsuzaka was 9-0 with a 2.37 ERA in 13 road starts.

When he loaded the bases on walks in the first inning, he escaped unscathed. Again, no surprise to those who know him — hitters are 0-for-14 against him this season when the bases are juiced.

"He looked unbelievable out there,” Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis said. "It’s amazing. We joke about how he gets out of these jams. We wish he wouldn’t put himself into the jams, but it’s just amazing how he always gets out of them.”

When Matsuzaka ran into trouble in the eighth inning, Boston manager Terry Francona turned to the team’s other Japanese import to snuff out a two-on, no-out threat. Hideki Okajima defused the immediate threat by coaxing Carlos Pena into a shallow lineout in a lefty-on-lefty matchup. Justin Masterson then ended the inning by getting a double-play grounder from Evan Longoria.

In seven-plus innings, Matsuzaka allowed four hits and four walks while striking out 12.

"He had a little bit of a high-wire act in the first inning,” Francona said. "But what do they say? Go with what got you here, right?”

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

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