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Red Sox commence set with Mariners at Fenway Park

Apr 29, 2011 - 3:21 PM (Sports Network) - After a slow beginning to the season, Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka has been nearly unhittable over his last two outings. Boston hopes that is the case again tonight when it begins a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park.

The 30-year-old Matsuzaka gave up 10 runs over just seven total innings in losing his first two starts, but has settled down to win back-to-back outings by yielding just two hits over 15 frames. His latest gem came on Saturday, as he held the Angels to a hit and three walks over a season-best eight innings, striking out nine and lowering his season earned run average to 4.09.

"He threw strikes, changed speeds and that was fun to watch," said Boston manager Terry Francona. "He's given up only two hits in a bunch of innings and I hope he can build off this."

The right-hander will take aim at a third straight win when he faces the Mariners for the ninth time in his career. He is 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA in the previous eight starts.

The Tokyo-born hurler has allowed six hits in 22 at-bats (.273) to his fellow countryman and Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, with the latter adding three doubles, three RBI and five walks to that stat line. Matsuzaka has also struggled when facing the speedy Chone Figgins, who is 5-for-7 lifetime in this matchup with five walks.

Like Matsuzaka, Mariners starter Jason Vargas has had an inconsistent start to his 2011 campaign. The left-hander is 0-2 with a 5.53 ERA in five starts, holding opponents to a pair of runs or less in the three no-decisions while getting blitzed for 13 runs in the two losses.

Despite taking a line drive off his left ankle on the second pitch of Saturday's start versus Oakland, Vargas lasted five innings and gave up six runs on six hits and three walks while losing his career-worst ninth straight decision.

The 28-year-old, who hasn't won since Aug. 14, is 0-1 in two starts versus the Red Sox with a 2.19 ERA.

Seattle rookie Michael Pineda hasn't shared Vargas' struggles as he improved to 4-1 with Thursday's victory over Detroit. Pineda gave up two runs over six innings in the 7-2 win, striking out nine while setting a Mariners club rookie record for the most wins in April.

"Great job of controlling the ballgame. Mixed his pitches well," Seattle manager Eric Wedge said of his starting pitcher.

Luis Rodriguez hit his first home run since July 24, 2009 -- a three-run shot -- and Miguel Olivo also went deep as Seattle swept the series to record its first three-game win streak of the season and win for the seventh time in 11 games.

Boston, meanwhile, avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of Baltimore on Thursday with a 6-2 victory. Jon Lester threw eight innings of one-run ball and Adrian Gonzalez had three hits and a pair of runs batted in.

The victory gave the Red Sox a 6-3 record on their nine-game road swing and has the club two games under .500 at 11-13.

"We don't get caught up in the artificial deadlines," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona of the pressure on his team to contend from the start of the year. "We needed to win tonight because we didn't show well the first two nights, but we definitely played a better game."

Boston begins an 11-game homestand this evening and is 5-4 as the host. The Red Sox should have third baseman Kevin Youkilis in the lineup even though he exited last night's game in the eighth inning with a sore left hip.

The Red Sox have won three straight over the Mariners and took seven of the 10 meetings a season ago.