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September 28th vs Minnesota

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redsoxrules Greenville Drive

redsoxrules

Old-Timey Member
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Dice K VS Kevin Slowey

 

 

It has been an up-and-down rookie season for Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. But he can close it on quite a high by helping the Boston Red Sox win a division title.

 

Matsuzaka and the Red Sox try to move closer to the AL East crown Friday when they continue a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park.

To obtain arguably the most sought-after free agent overall last winter, it cost the Red Sox (94-65) more than $51 million just to win the negotiating rights with the right-hander before he signed a six-year, $52 million contract in December.

 

He quickly overcame a 1-2 start with a six-game winning streak in a seven-start span, but the 27-year-old Matsuzaka (14-12, 4.48 ERA) has shown signs of fatigue down the stretch. He is 1-2 with a 9.11 ERA in his last five starts, and did not get a decision Saturday at Tampa Bay, where he was reached for five runs in 6 2-3 innings before Boston rallied for an 8-6 victory that clinched a playoff spot.

 

"Of course, going into the game, I knew it was a situation where we could clinch a playoff berth," Matsuzaka told the Red Sox's official Web site through translator Masa Hoshino. "So there would have been nothing greater than getting the win and being the winning pitcher on the night that we clinched. Now that I'm at this point and looking at the situation, I'm pretty happy that we were able to make the playoffs and I'm excited to move forward."

 

Matsuzaka, who has one win in his last eight starts since defeating Seattle on Aug. 4, is making his first appearance against the Twins. He is 7-4 with a 5.10 ERA in 13 starts at Fenway.

 

Boston's magic number for clinching its first division title since 1995 remained at two following Thursday's 5-4 defeat. The loss, coupled with the win by the New York Yankees over Tampa Bay, sliced the Red Sox's lead in the AL East to two games.

 

"I had so much going on in our game, I had to worry about our game," said Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, who homered in the eighth to cut the deficit to one run but struck out with the bases loaded for the second out in the ninth. "We put ourselves in position to win. Personally, I didn't get it done."

 

Varitek is 6-for-17 (.353) with three homers and six walks in his last six games. David Ortiz is one double shy of setting a single-season major league record for doubles by a designated hitter, currently sharing the mark with Edgar Martinez with 50.

 

The Twins (78-81) continue their push for a .500 record behind rookie Kevin Slowey (4-0, 4.57). The 23-year-old right-hander is coming off arguably the best of his 10 starts since his first call-up in June, limiting the Chicago White Sox to one run in seven innings while striking out a season-high nine in Minnesota's 7-1 victory Sunday.

 

"He slowed the ball up enough today. He pitched hard inside," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told the team's official Web site. "He did a lot of good things today. He threw lots of great breaking balls today, and I think those are the things you need to do to be successful."

 

Slowey has never faced the Red Sox.

Soxfan1 Portland Sea Dogs

Soxfan1

Verified Member
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Yeah. I'd post up some pics but i dont have my camera.

Pedroia has such an amazing swing. With some more bulk, he could have much better power.

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