Boston (0-0) at Tampa Bay (0-0)

TV: TBS | Radio: WRKO 680, ESPN Radio 8:37 pm ET Tropicana Field TV: TBS | Radio: WHNZ 1250, ESPN Radio
bos

Dice-K knows what to expect vs. Rays

Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
There's little mystery left between the Red Sox and the Rays as they prepare to meet for the American League Championship Series on Friday night, a fact that doesn't faze Game 1 starter Daisuke Matsuzaka.
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Red Sox probable pitcher

Daisuke Matsuzaka

  • #18 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
Matsuzaka, the 18-game winner during the regular season, will be working on six days of rest. However, Matsuzaka labored through his Game 2 start against the Angels, throwing 108 pitches over five innings and giving up eight hits and three runs. The right-hander was dominant on the road this season, going 9-0 with a 2.37 ERA in 13 starts. Despite being in the Major Leagues for just two seasons, Matsuzaka has pitched eight times against the Rays, going 2-3 with a 2.75 ERA. Five of those starts have come at Tropicana Field, where Matsuzaka is 1-2 with a 3.41 ERA. Dice-K led the Majors this season by holding opponents to a .211 batting average.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 33-15 3.72 372.1 174 355 .230
Season 18-3 2.90 167.2 94 154 .211
Vs. Tampa Bay 1-0 3.00 15.0 11 17 .228

Series at a Glance

Standings - 10/10/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Boston Red Sox (AL East) 95 67 .586 2.0 56-25 39-42
Tampa Bay Rays (AL East) 97 65 .599 - 57-24 40-41
Stats - 10/10/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
BOS .280 845 173 807 120 1068 4.01 1446.1 1369 548 1185
TB .260 774 180 735 142 1224 3.82 1457.2 1349 526 1143
tb

When Rays in hard place, Shields a rock

Jason Beck / MLB.com
James Shields says that every time he's faced the Red Sox this season it's been a playoff-type atmosphere. On Friday, the Rays ace gets the real deal in the ALCS opener.
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Rays probable pitcher

James Shields

  • #33 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
Shields got the win in Game 1 of the ALDS. He overcame a rocky third inning, in which he yielded a three-run homer to Chicago's Dewayne Wise, to turn in a respectable outing. The right-hander exited after loading the bases with one out in the seventh inning, but the Rays' bullpen held the White Sox in check to preserve the win. Shields has worked 215 innings this season -- matching his total from 2007 exactly -- and has thrown three of the Rays' seven shutouts.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 32-24 3.96 554.2 114 448 .259
Season 14-8 3.56 215.0 40 160 .254
Vs. Boston 2-2 5.85 20.0 5 17 .256

Red Sox hitters vs James Shields
Regular Season stats only

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI

Rays hitters vs Daisuke Matsuzaka
Regular Season stats only

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI

Sox slice and Dice against Rays (1-0) (0-1)

Red Sox 2, Rays 0

Matsuzaka masterful

Ian Browne / MLB.com
Daisuke Matsuzaka had the right stuff in the series opener, holding the Rays hitless until the seventh as the Red Sox drew first blood in the ALCS. Jed Lowrie's sacrifice fly and Kevin Youkilis' run-scoring double were just enough offense for the Sox.

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Series at a Glance

 

Open and shut down

Bill Chastain / MLB.com
Tropicana Field was in title-winning form. The Rays, though, weren't able to rise to the occasion as they tumbled against the Red Sox. Tampa Bay left the bases loaded in the first and couldn't reward James Shields, who sparkled on the mound.
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Red Sox 2, Rays 0

BostonABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Ellsbury, CF5000011.000
Pedroia, 2B3110100.333
Ortiz, DH3000111.000
Youkilis, 3B4031000.750
Drew, RF3010013.333
Bay, LF3110113.333
Kotsay, 1B4010005.250
Lowrie, SS3001022.000
Varitek, C4000013.000
Totals322723718 

BATTING
2B: Youkilis 2 (2, Shields, Howell), Kotsay (1, Shields).
TB: Pedroia; Youkilis 5; Drew; Bay; Kotsay 2.
RBI: Lowrie (1), Youkilis (1).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Drew 2; Ellsbury; Varitek; Kotsay 2.
SF: Lowrie.
GIDP: Drew.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
SB: Pedroia (1, 2nd base off Howell/Navarro).

FIELDING
DP: (Lowrie-Pedroia-Kotsay).
 
Tampa BayABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Iwamura, 2B3010100.333
Upton, CF4010011.250
Pena, C, 1B2000202.000
Longoria, 3B4000025.000
Crawford, LF3010120.333
Floyd, DH4010013.250
Navarro, C4000022.000
Gross, RF3000022.000
Bartlett, SS3000012.000
Totals3004041117 

BATTING
TB: Iwamura; Upton; Crawford; Floyd.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Floyd 2; Bartlett.
GIDP: Longoria.
Team LOB: 7.

FIELDING
DP: (Iwamura-Bartlett-Pena, C).
 
BostonIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Matsuzaka (W, 1-0)7.04004900.00
Okajima (H, 1)0.10000000.00
Masterson (H, 1)0.20000000.00
Papelbon (S, 1)1.00000200.00
 
Tampa BayIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Shields (L, 0-1)7.16222602.45
Howell 0.01001000.00
Balfour 1.10000100.00
Price 0.10000000.00

Matsuzaka pitched to 2 batters in the 8th.
Howell pitched to 2 batters in the 8th.

WP: Matsuzaka.
HBP: Drew (by Balfour).
Pitches-strikes: Matsuzaka 115-66, Okajima 4-1, Masterson 5-3, Papelbon 12-8, Shields 100-65, Howell 12-7, Balfour 21-12, Price 3-2.
Groundouts-flyouts: Matsuzaka 4-8, Okajima 0-1, Masterson 2-0, Papelbon 0-1, Shields 7-9, Howell 0-0, Balfour 0-3, Price 0-1.
Batters faced: Matsuzaka 29, Okajima 1, Masterson 1, Papelbon 3, Shields 29, Howell 2, Balfour 5, Price 1.
Inherited runners-scored: Okajima 2-0, Masterson 2-0, Howell 1-1, Balfour 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Tim McClelland. 1B: Sam Holbrook. 2B: Brian O'Nora. 3B: Brian Gorman. LF: Alfonso Marquez. RF: Derryl Cousins.
Weather: 72 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 3:25.
Att: 35,001.
October 10, 2008

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