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Matsuzaka gets first test against Yankees

Apr 22, 2007 - 2:58 PM NY Yankees (8-8) at Boston (11-5) 8:05 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) - It's an event whenever Daisuke Matsuzaka takes the mound for the Boston Red Sox. We haven't seen anything yet.

Matsuzaka will take the hill for the first time against the archrival New York Yankees in the highly anticipated, nationally televised finale of a three-game series at Fenway Park on Sunday.

A star hurler in Japan, Matsuzaka arrived in the major leagues with much fanfare, including a stable of Japanese media following his every move. The attention has increased with each start and figures to only intensify in the heat of one of the best rivalries in sports.

The righthander (1-2, 2.70 ERA) has been a hard-luck loser in his last two contests, allowing just five runs, while striking out 14 in 13 innings.

Boston has won the first two games of the series, including a 7-5 victory on Saturday afternoon. Josh Beckett struggled through 6 2/3 innings, allowing five runs - four earned - and nine hits, but David Ortiz homered and drove in four runs.

The Red Sox bullpen has been strong throughout the series, highlighted by Matsuzaka's countryman Hideki Okajima - who picked up his first career save on Friday and pitched out of a crucial seventh-inning jam one day later.

Despite New York's two losses, Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has continued his torrid April against Boston, belting two homers on Friday and collecting two more hits and an RBI on Saturday. He leads the major leagues with 12 homers and 31 RBI.

Rookie Chase Wright will take the ball for the New York. The lefthander (1-0, 5.40) allowed three runs and five hits in five innings in his season debut, a 10-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday.