Daisuke Matsuzaka has put together two straight strong outings for the Boston Red Sox. It may be even more surprising that the Seattle Mariners have strung together three straight big offensive efforts.
The surging Matsuzaka will try to slow down a suddenly potent Mariners' lineup Friday night in the opener of a three-game set at Fenway Park.
7:10 PM ET, April 29, 2011
Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
After going 0-2 with a 12.86 ERA in his first two outings, Matsuzaka (2-2, 4.09 ERA) has turned in two straight scoreless efforts in which he's been nearly unhittable. The right-hander gave up one hit over seven innings in a 9-1 home win over Toronto and yielded one hit over eight in Saturday's 5-0 victory at the Los Angeles Angels.
"When he goes out there and throws strikes and throws it where he wants to and get ahead, that's what he can do," third baseman Kevin Youkilis said.
Matsuzaka is 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA in eight career starts against Seattle (11-15), and compatriot Ichiro Suzuki is 6 for 22 against him. Chone Figgins is 5 for 7.
Starting Pitchers
Seattle: Vargas (0-2, 5.53 ERA)
Boston: Matsuzaka (2-2, 4.09 ERA)
The Mariners have won four straight on the road after scoring 24 runs in a three-game sweep in Detroit. Suzuki was 5 for 15, Figgins 5 for 13 with four RBIs and Justin Smoak 4 for 11 with two homers and eight RBIs.
"You baby step in the right direction, you put up better at-bats, make more productive outs and then you start to see some results," manager Eric Wedge told the Mariners' official website. "And that's what I think you're seeing."
Miguel Olivo went 7 for 13 with his first two homers to raise his average from .164 to .230. Wedge has indicated that Olivo -- 1 for 6 against Matsuzaka -- will start Friday.
Second baseman Jack Wilson left Thursday's 7-2 victory in the fifth inning with irritation of the right eye. His status is uncertain.
Boston (11-13) won seven of 10 against Seattle last season as Youkilis went 8 for 18. Figgins was 15 for 35 in those games while Suzuki was 9 for 39.
The Red Sox are back home after a 6-3 trip they capped with Thursday's 6-2 win over Baltimore behind Jon Lester's eight dominating innings.
"The guys are starting to feel a little bit better about themselves now, and hopefully we can go home and really start playing well," Lester said. "To go 6-3 on this road trip, we'll take it, the way we started off the season."
Adrian Gonzalez and Jacoby Ellsbury each had three hits to continue their torrid hitting. Gonzalez is 9 for 18 in his last four games and Ellsbury is 11 for 24 in his last five.
The Red Sox are 4-6 against left-handed starters, and will try to keep Jason Vargas (0-2, 5.53) winless. Vargas is 0-9 with a 5.67 ERA in his last 13 starts, and allowed six runs over five-plus innings in Saturday's 9-1 loss to Oakland.
Vargas has never pitched at Fenway Park, and is 0-1 with a 2.19 ERA in two career starts against Boston. Carl Crawford is 0 for 9 against him.
"I'm looking forward to it," Vargas said. "They've got a good lineup. It should be a good test."
The surging Matsuzaka will try to slow down a suddenly potent Mariners' lineup Friday night in the opener of a three-game set at Fenway Park.
7:10 PM ET, April 29, 2011
Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
After going 0-2 with a 12.86 ERA in his first two outings, Matsuzaka (2-2, 4.09 ERA) has turned in two straight scoreless efforts in which he's been nearly unhittable. The right-hander gave up one hit over seven innings in a 9-1 home win over Toronto and yielded one hit over eight in Saturday's 5-0 victory at the Los Angeles Angels.
"When he goes out there and throws strikes and throws it where he wants to and get ahead, that's what he can do," third baseman Kevin Youkilis said.
Matsuzaka is 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA in eight career starts against Seattle (11-15), and compatriot Ichiro Suzuki is 6 for 22 against him. Chone Figgins is 5 for 7.
Starting Pitchers
Seattle: Vargas (0-2, 5.53 ERA)
Boston: Matsuzaka (2-2, 4.09 ERA)
The Mariners have won four straight on the road after scoring 24 runs in a three-game sweep in Detroit. Suzuki was 5 for 15, Figgins 5 for 13 with four RBIs and Justin Smoak 4 for 11 with two homers and eight RBIs.
"You baby step in the right direction, you put up better at-bats, make more productive outs and then you start to see some results," manager Eric Wedge told the Mariners' official website. "And that's what I think you're seeing."
Miguel Olivo went 7 for 13 with his first two homers to raise his average from .164 to .230. Wedge has indicated that Olivo -- 1 for 6 against Matsuzaka -- will start Friday.
Second baseman Jack Wilson left Thursday's 7-2 victory in the fifth inning with irritation of the right eye. His status is uncertain.
Boston (11-13) won seven of 10 against Seattle last season as Youkilis went 8 for 18. Figgins was 15 for 35 in those games while Suzuki was 9 for 39.
The Red Sox are back home after a 6-3 trip they capped with Thursday's 6-2 win over Baltimore behind Jon Lester's eight dominating innings.
"The guys are starting to feel a little bit better about themselves now, and hopefully we can go home and really start playing well," Lester said. "To go 6-3 on this road trip, we'll take it, the way we started off the season."
Adrian Gonzalez and Jacoby Ellsbury each had three hits to continue their torrid hitting. Gonzalez is 9 for 18 in his last four games and Ellsbury is 11 for 24 in his last five.
The Red Sox are 4-6 against left-handed starters, and will try to keep Jason Vargas (0-2, 5.53) winless. Vargas is 0-9 with a 5.67 ERA in his last 13 starts, and allowed six runs over five-plus innings in Saturday's 9-1 loss to Oakland.
Vargas has never pitched at Fenway Park, and is 0-1 with a 2.19 ERA in two career starts against Boston. Carl Crawford is 0 for 9 against him.
"I'm looking forward to it," Vargas said. "They've got a good lineup. It should be a good test."