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Matsuzaka dominates as Red Sox pound White Sox

Aug 30, 2008 - 3:42 AM By Brian Devine PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Daisuke Matsuzaka tossed eight scoreless innings and the Boston Red Sox pounded out 15 hits to cruise past the Chicago White Sox, 8-0, on Friday.

Matsuzaka, who entered the contest second in the American League in walks, issued a pair of free passes while fanning seven and yielding two hits over seven innings.

"Daisuke threw the ball really well," Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. "He was more efficient today and he had good stuff."

The righthander did not allow a hit after the third inning.

"With the tough loss yesterday and the White Sox a team we might face again in the near future, I wanted to go out there and pitch a good game today," Matsuzaka said through an interpreter.

"I thought he was throwing his fastball in to righthanders very aggressively, and for strikes, which opened up the plate," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "He looked strong. I'm sure he could have gone out in the ninth and finished that game, (but) I didn't see any reason to do it."

Matsuzaka's 16 wins give him one more than he had in his 2007 rookie campaign and tie him with Hideo Nomo for the single-season record for wins by a Japanese pitcher.

"I don't think that just reaching that number in and of itself has that much meaning," Matsuzaka said of tying Nomo.

Jason Bay delivered the big blow for Boston in a four-run sixth inning that put the game away. With a run already in and the bases loaded, Bay doubled to left-center to clear the bases and provide the Red Sox with a 7-0 lead.

"We are very deep and guys are going out there and having professional at-bats and putting runs up," Bay said.

Since joining the Red Sox, Bay is 3-for-3 with seven RBI with the bases loaded.

Jacoby Ellsbury, who was not in the original lineup but was inserted 15 minutes before game time when Coco Crisp reported flu-like symptoms, did not take long to make an impact.

On the first pitch of the game, Ellsbury made a diving catch to deny Orlando Cabrera of extra bases. To follow the highlight-reel catch, Ellsbury led off the bottom of the frame with a walk and scored on Kevin Youkilis' fielder's choice with the bases loaded.

The Red Sox added to their lead in the fifth when Dustin Pedroia singled to left field, stole second base and scored on a double to right field by David Ortiz. New addition Mark Kotsay plated Ortiz with another double to right field to supply Boston with a 3-0 lead.

Pedroia recorded his league-leading 52nd multi-hit game, going 4-for-4, scored three runs and stole two bases for Boston, which has won four of five.

"I worry more about Pedroia than I do (David Ortiz) right now," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Right now I have to, he's swinging the bat good. He's a hell of a ballplayer and he shows up to beat you."

Javier Vazquez (10-12), tossed 5 2/3 innings and allowed 10 hits and five runs while striking out seven. The outing was his shortest since allowing six runs at Kansas City on July 9.

"We didn't hit, we didn't play defense and we didn't pitch," Guillen said. "It felt like we had another day off today, now we've had two days off in a row. Hopefully, we'll show up and play better (Saturday)."