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Matsuzaka will search for redemption in ALCS Game Seven

Oct 21, 2007 - 12:59 PM Cleveland at Boston 8:21 pm EDT American League Championship Series Series Tied, 3-3

BOSTON (Ticker) - One last game for all the marbles.

The Boston Red Sox host the Cleveland Indians on Sunday in Game Seven of the American League Championship Series, with the winner advancing to the World Series against the Colorado Rockies.

Daisuke Matsuzaka will get a chance to redeem himself in the series finale after melting down in a Game Three loss when he was pulled after 4 2/3 innings and charged with four runs and six hits.

The Japanese righthander was despondent after the contest, refusing to speak with reporters and staring into his locker for nearly an hour.

"I think he's been carrying a lot of responsibility, and that's probably far too simplistic," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of Matsuzaka. "But I mean, all the notoriety that came with him signing with the Red Sox, the cultural differences.

"You know, there's been times, this isn't during the playoffs but times during the year where we'll take him out and he'll be apologetic. He feels so much responsibility because he is so competitive, and he is so conscientious that now that it's playoff time, I just think he understands and knows his responsibility, and if he feels like he came up a little short, it bothers him."

In his last 10 starts, including two in the postseason, Matsuzaka is just 2-5 with a 7.07 ERA.

"You know, this kid has had so much thrown at him, and we knew it would happen," Francona said. "I think it's not unfair to expect that as he progresses and gets more comfortable in this culture, he'll pitch better. I think that is definitely the case."

Boston and it's fans are hoping Matsuzaka finds that comfort on Sunday, or winter will start about two weeks earlier than planned.

The fact that the Red Sox are in a seventh game at all is a bit of a surprise after the Indians built a three games to one lead in the series.

Boston fought back with a 7-1 victory behind Josh Beckett in Game Five and came home to Fenway Park and put on a show in Game Six.

Thanks to much-maligned J.D. Drew, Curt Schilling didn't need to come up "big" again.

Drew hit a first-inning grand slam off Fausto Carmona and added an RBI single in a six-run third as the Red Sox coasted to a 12-2 triumph.

Schilling, considered perhaps the best postseason pitcher of all-time, allowed two runs over seven strong innings in what could have been his last performance for Boston.

"Game Seven is do-or-die," Schilling said. "You can't ask for more than that. We're going to lean on Daisuke and I believe he'll do something special."

The winner will advance to the World Series against the Rockies, who have won 21 of their last 22 games.

"We're excited, crazy not to be," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "Game Seven at Fenway, we're excited. I'm sure they are too."

The Indians will send righthander Jake Westbrook to the mound in Game Seven. The veteran sinkerballer shut down the Red Sox in Game Three, allowing two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings to earn the win.

He has made two career starts at Fenway Park, going 1-1 with an 8.44 ERA.

The Cleveland offense has struggled recently, most notably designated hitter Travis Hafner, who is 0-for-15 with nine strikeouts in the last four games.

Only 10 times in baseball history has a team come back from a three games to one deficit to win a best-of-seven series. The Red Sox were the last to do it, recovering from a three games to none deficit to defeat the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS.