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Dice-K Dazzles In Red Sox 8-0 Win Over White Sox
By Administrator | August 30, 2008
Daisuke Matsuzaka was dazzling at Fenway Park last night.
Pitching on short rest due to the organization’s decision to scratch Josh Beckett from his start, Dice-K gave the team an extraordinary effort… he pitched eight shutout hits, limiting the ChiSox to two hits and two walks while striking out seven. The only hits he allowed were singles by Jermaine Dye in the second and Alexei Ramirez in the third.
He improved his 2008 record to 16-2 and lowered his ERA to 2.82… he became just the third Red Sox pitcher in the divisional era, joining Roger Clemens (1986) and Pedro Martinez (2002), to win 16 of his first 18 decisions in a season. The 16 wins ties Hideo Nomo’s single-season record for the most by a native of Japan.
Manager Terry Francona said: “It’s getting to the point in the season where we’re heading into September and he seems to have a lot left”.
While Matsuzaka was being an efficient machine on the mound (only 104 pitches in eight innings), second baseman Dustin Pedroia was displaying his talents as a hitting machine in the batters box. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year had four hits, three runs, two stolen bases and one walk.
It was his league-leading 52nd multi-hit game of the season… in the process, he set a Red Sox single-season record (for second basemen) with 104 runs scored.
The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. They loaded the bases with no outs on a walk and two singles and scored on a Kevin Youkilis ground out, but ChiSox starter Javier Vazquez was able to pitch out of further damage.
They increased the lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning when Pedroia singled, stole second and scored on David Ortiz’ double… Papi then took third on a single by Youkilis and scored on a double by Mark Kotsay. Youkilis and Kotsay were stranded in scoring position when Jed Lowrie flew out to left field to end the inning.
But the Red Sox blew the game open in the sixth inning when they scored four runs — with a big assist from Chicago catcher AJ Pierzynski, who dropped Alex Cora’s foul pop in the vicinity of the on-deck circle and gave the Red Sox an extra out (Cora doubled). Had Pierzynski caught the ball, Chicago may have gotten out of the inning unscathed… instead the error turned into the start of a Boston rally.
Pedroia and Ortiz walked to load the bases… reliever DJ Carrasco hit Youkilis with a pitch to force in a run… Jason Bay then hit a bases-clearing double off the left-center field wall to extend the lead to an uneven seven.
The Red Sox finished the scoring in the eighth inning when Youk doubled home Pedroia (who had led off the inning with a single).
Mike Timlin pitched a perfect ninth inning to complete the shutout.
Topics: Sox Games, Sox Players |
