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Matsuzaka looks to bounce back from rough outing

Jul 14, 2007 - 2:22 PM Toronto (44-45) at Boston (54-35), 7:05 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) - Daisuke Matsuzaka was in the process of dominating major league hitters when the Detroit Tigers exposed the Japanese righthander during a series sweep prior to the All-Star break.

Matsuzaka (10-6, 3.84 ERA) will get a chance to bounce back when he takes the mound on Saturday in the third game of the Boston Red Sox's four-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park.

A much heralded signing in the offseason, Matsuzaka looked to be settling in nicely when he ripped off a six-start string from June 5 to July 3 which yielded a 3-2 record with a 1.29 ERA and 51 strikeouts. But the Tigers jumped on the 26-year-old for six runs and 10 hits in five innings.

In two starts against the Blue Jays this season, Matsuzaka owns a 1-1 record with a 2.08 ERA.

If he wants to improve that record, Matsuzaka will have to figure out a way to slow right fielder Alex Rios, who is 6-for-8 in the first two games of the series and has dominated the Red Sox in his career with a .372 average (63-for-169), his second-best mark against all American League opponents.

Taking the mound in support of Rios will be Dustin McGowan (5-4, 4.65). The 25-year-old righthander is coming off a four-hit gem at Oakland, where he earned a win with seven scoreless innings.

McGowan has allowed three earned runs or less seven of his last nine outings, posting a 5-3 record with a 3.67 ERA over that stretch.