| 06 May 2010
Starters
Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-1, 11.57)
Scott Kazmir (2-1, 5.57)
Matsuzaka pitched four solid innings in his 2010 debut, holding the Orioles to one run on one hits and two walks. Then he imploded for 5 runs in the 5th inning, coughing up a 4-1 lead and eventually taking the 12-9 loss, after Tim Wakefield failed miserably as a reliever. The Red Sox will be looking for Matsuzaka to help them complete a sweep of the Angels and keep the good vibes going with the Yankees in town this weekend. They may have caught a break with the Angels ina funk and a lefty in Scott Kazmir on the mound, but this isn't an automatic win form Dice-K or the Sox. Matsuzaka is 1-1 with a 4.49 ERA against the Angels and has pitched better on the road than at Fenway in his Major League career, posting a 19-11, 4.37 ERA line at home in 36 starts. If he can avoid the one-inning implosion, he should be able to grab his first win tonight... but it's hard to believe the Angels will lose 7 games in a row.
Kazmir has always pitched well against the Red Sox and the Angels need him to do it again tonight. Kaz is 8-7 with a 3.59 ERA in 23 career starts against Boston. He continues to walk too many batters (four in each of his last two starts), but he can rack up the Ks as well, posting 19 in 21 innings of work against the Tigers and Yankees this season. The Sox will do well if they can remain patient and work the count. Like Matsuzaka, Kazmir struggles to get deep into games, so this one could easily turn into a battle of the bullpens... and the Sox have the advantage there after getting 7 innings from Lackey last night and 8 innings from Lester on Tuesday.
Key Matchups
Kendry Morales has been quiet in this series. He's just 1 for 2 against Dice-K in his career, but I have a bad feeling he's due... The other guys I've been concerned all series with is Bobby Abreu, but he's hitting just .167. Both of these guys are too good to stay this quiet and if Matsuzaka isn't sharp tonight, my guess these guys will be the one's to make him pay.
Kazmir will want to watch out for Mike Lowell. Lowell's 4 homers against the lefty Kazmir and will be looking to prove that ine good game for DavidOrtiz doesn't change the fact that he has been the better player in 2010. Dustin Pedroia is the other guy to watch. He's 15 for 29 (.517) with 3 doubles, a homer and 6 walks against Kazmir.
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