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Matsuzaka goes for fourth straight win as Red Sox face Orioles

Aug 19, 2008 - 12:17 PM BOSTON (72-53) at BALTIMORE (60-64), 7:05pm EDT

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- With their ace Josh Beckett struggling or injured for most of the season, the defending-champion Boston Red Sox have had to lean heavily on Daisuke Matsuzaka.

As the playoff race grows tighter and Boston still finds itself looking up at the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox have never needed their new ace more than they do now.

Matsuzaka takes the hill Tuesday looking for his fourth straight win in the second leg of a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles. The Red Sox took the opener Monday on the strength of seven strong innings from Jon Lester, and they will be looking for more of the same from Matsuzaka.

The 27-year-old hurler has been dominant this month, going 3-0 while posting a 1.29 ERA. He has allowed two runs or less in eight of his last nine starts and made quick work of the Orioles the last time he faced them. In a July 13 showdown at Fenway Park, Matsuzaka tossed six scoreless innings, striking out seven, to lead Boston to a 2-1 triumph.

While Matsuzaka has overcome a mediocre first season with Boston to emerge as a legitimate weapon from the mound, his opponent on Tuesday, Baltimore right-hander Daniel Cabrera, is still trying to conquer his Red Sox demons. The 6-9, 270-pound fireballer is just 2-10 in his career against Boston with a career ERA of 6.81 and a WHIP of 1.97 in 15 appearances. Those 10 losses are his most against any club.

Though history isn't on his side, Cabrera did defeat his nemesis earlier this season, scattering 10 hits over seven innings to come away with a 6-3 victory in a May 14 showdown at Camden Yards.

He faces a Boston offense that has been hot all August long, averaging 6.2 runs per contest in 17 games this month. That trend continued on Monday night, as Jason Bay belted a pair of home runs to spark the Red Sox in a 6-3 win.