Boston (0-0) at Oakland (0-0)

TV: NESN, ESPN2 | Radio: WEEI 850, SBN 1150 6:05 am ET Tokyo Dome TV: ESPN2 | Radio: KFRC 106.9
bos

Dice-K returns home as visitor

Ian Browne / MLB.com
If it wasn't enough for Daisuke Matsuzaka to come to America and help the Red Sox win the World Series in his first year, now he starts his second season by pitching Opening Day at Tokyo Dome.
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Red Sox probable pitcher

Daisuke Matsuzaka

  • #18 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
What better way for Dice-K to kick off his second season with the Sox than pitching Opening Day at Tokyo Dome? Dice-K is nothing short of a legend in Japan, and the baseball-crazed nation is enthused to see him pitch.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 15-12 4.40 204.2 80 201 .246

Series at a Glance

Standings - 03/25/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Boston Red Sox (AL East) 0 0 - 0-0 0-0
Oakland Athletics (AL West) 0 0 - 0-0 0-0
oak

Blanton ready to take on champs

Mychael Urban / MLB.com
A's righty Joe Blanton has been a model of unspectacular consistency since making his debut as a starter on the 2005 team, winning 42 games over three seasons while making at least 32 starts every year.
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Athletics probable pitcher

Joe Blanton

  • #56 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
Blanton, the subject of trade rumors for much of the winter, will be making the first Opening Day start of his career. He struggled against the Red Sox in 2007, going 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA (10 earned runs over 19 1/3 inning) in three starts.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 42-34 4.10 633.2 167 369 .271

Red Sox hitters vs Joe Blanton

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Anderson, Brian - - - - .500 2 0 0
Baldelli, Rocco - - - - .000 8 0 0
Bates, Aaron - - - - - - - -
Bay, Jason - - - - - - - -
Brown, Dusty - - - - - - - -
Drew, J.D. - - - - .333 12 0 1
Ellsbury, Jacoby - - - - .182 11 0 1
Gonzalez, Alex - - - - .500 6 1 1
Hermida, Jeremy - - - - .000 3 0 0
Iglesias, Jose - - - - - - - -
Kotchman, Casey - - - - .300 20 0 1
Lowell, Mike - - - - .200 20 0 4
Lowrie, Jed - - - - - - - -
Martinez, Victor - - - - .238 21 0 3
Ortiz, David - - - - .300 20 2 3
Pedroia, Dustin - - - - .250 12 0 0
Reddick, Josh - - - - - - - -
Varitek, Jason - - - - .227 22 0 1
Wagner, Mark - - - - - - - -
Woodward, Chris - - - - - - - -
Youkilis, Kevin - - - - .333 18 0 1

Athletics hitters vs Daisuke Matsuzaka

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Barton, Daric - - - - .167 6 1 2
Buck, Travis - - - - .100 10 0 0
Chavez, Eric - - - - .667 3 1 1
Crosby, Bobby - - - - .000 8 0 1
Cunningham, Aaron - - - - - - - -
Cust, Jack - - - - .375 8 1 1
Davis, Rajai - - - - - - - -
Ellis, Mark - - - - .250 12 1 1
Everidge, Tommy - - - - - - - -
Garciaparra, Nomar - - - - - - - -
Hairston, Scott - - - - - - - -
Kennedy, Adam - - - - 1.000 1 0 0
Patterson, Eric - - - - - - - -
Pennington, Cliff - - - - - - - -
Petit, Gregorio - - - - - - - -
Powell, Landon - - - - - - - -
Suzuki, Kurt - - - - .500 4 0 0
Sweeney, Ryan - - - - .000 7 0 0

Red dawn rises in Far East (1-0) (0-1)

Red Sox 6, Athletics 5 (10)

No Moss on Manny

Ian Browne / MLB.com
Brandon Moss belted a solo homer in the ninth inning to force extra innings, and then Manny Ramirez ripped a game-winning two-run double in the 10th. Daisuke Matsuzaka struggled with his control early, tossing 60 pitches over the first two frames, before settling down to notch six strikeouts.

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Series at a Glance

 
Manny Ramirez celebrates after his two-run double in the 10th inning on Tuesday. (Getty Images)

Street roughed up

Mychael Urban / MLB.com
Huston Street struggled while trying to nail down his first save opportunity this season, giving up a game-tying home run in the ninth and then yielding a two-out double to Manny Ramirez in the 10th. Mark Ellis hit a solo homer in the first inning, and Jack Hannahan added a two-run tater in the sixth.
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Red Sox 6, Athletics 5

BostonABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Pedroia, 2B4120001.500
Youkilis, 1B4110112.250
Ortiz, DH4100105.000
Ramirez, LF5124011.400
  1-Crisp, PR-CF0000000.000
Lowell, 3B4010111.250
Moss, RF5122003.400
Varitek, C4000032.000
Ellsbury, CF-LF4010010.250
Lugo, SS4120001.500
  Cora, SS0000000.000
Totals3861163716 


1-Ran for Ramirez in the 10th.

BATTING
2B: Pedroia (1, Blanton), Ramirez 2 (2, Blanton, Street).
HR: Moss (1, 9th inning off Street, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Pedroia 3; Youkilis; Ramirez 4; Lowell; Moss 5; Ellsbury; Lugo 2.
RBI: Ramirez 4 (4), Moss 2 (2).
2-out RBI: Moss; Ramirez 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ramirez; Ortiz; Varitek; Moss.
S: Pedroia.
GIDP: Varitek; Lugo.
Team LOB: 6.

FIELDING
Outfield assists: Moss (Brown, E at 3rd base).
 
OaklandABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Buck, RF5000022.000
Ellis, 2B4111101.250
Barton, 1B2200310.000
Cust, DH4000044.000
Brown, E, LF4011100.250
Crosby, SS5121002.400
Hannahan, 3B4122112.500
Suzuki, C5010023.200
Sweeney, R, CF3000001.000
  a-Sweeney, M, PH0000100.000
  1-Fiorentino, PR-CF0000000.000
Totals3657571015 

a-Walked for Sweeney, R in the 9th.
1-Ran for Sweeney, M in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Brown, E (1, Papelbon).
HR: Ellis (1, 1st inning off Matsuzaka, 0 on, 1 out), Hannahan (1, 6th inning off Snyder, 1 on, 0 out).
TB: Ellis 4; Brown, E 2; Crosby 2; Hannahan 5; Suzuki.
RBI: Ellis (1), Crosby (1), Hannahan 2 (2), Brown, E (1).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Hannahan 2; Cust 2; Suzuki.
Team LOB: 9.

BASERUNNING
SB: Suzuki (1, 2nd base off Matsuzaka/Varitek).

FIELDING
DP: 2 (Crosby-Ellis-Barton, Ellis-Crosby-Barton).
 
BostonIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Matsuzaka 5.02225613.60
Snyder (BS, 1)1.122201113.50
Lopez 0.20000100.00
Corey 1.00000000.00
Okajima (W, 1-0)1.00001100.00
Papelbon (S, 1)1.03111109.00
 
OaklandIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Blanton 5.27331304.76
Embree 1.11000100.00
Foulke (H, 1)1.00000100.00
Street (BS, 1)(L, 0-1)1.233312116.20
DiNardo 0.10001000.00

WP: Matsuzaka.
IBB: Ortiz (by Street), Lowell (by DiNardo).
HBP: Cust (by Matsuzaka).
Pitches-strikes: Matsuzaka 95-51, Snyder 16-10, Lopez 9-5, Corey 9-6, Okajima 19-10, Papelbon 23-13, Blanton 94-58, Embree 15-10, Foulke 17-11, Street 32-19, DiNardo 8-2.
Ground outs-fly outs: Matsuzaka 5-4, Snyder 1-2, Lopez 0-1, Corey 2-1, Okajima 1-1, Papelbon 1-0, Blanton 8-6, Embree 3-0, Foulke 0-2, Street 1-2, DiNardo 0-1.
Batters faced: Matsuzaka 23, Snyder 6, Lopez 2, Corey 3, Okajima 4, Papelbon 6, Blanton 24, Embree 4, Foulke 3, Street 9, DiNardo 2.
Inherited runners-scored: Embree 1-0, DiNardo 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Rick Reed. 1B: Hunter Wendelstedt. 2B: Tim Timmons. 3B: Paul Nauert.
Weather: 68 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 3:39.
Att: 44,628.

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner