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Matsuzaka, Red Sox look to continue playoff run vs. Angels

Oct 3, 2008 - 10:15 AM American League Division Series Red Sox lead 1-0

Boston at LA Angels 9:35 p.m. EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- There are quite a few things different about this year's American League Division Series between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. One thing remains the same.

Los Angeles can not seem to beat Boston in October.

The Angels look to snap a 10-game postseason losing streak against the Red Sox when the teams meet in Game Two of their Divisional Series on Friday.

A year after Josh Beckett threw a complete-game shutout in Game One of the 2007 ALDS, young stud John Lester was nearly as dominant in the opening act this time around for Boston.

"We can't focus on last year and having amnesia is actually a good thing," Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick said. "You have to play this game for what it is. You have to hit and pitch and play defense and we've been doing that all year long and regardless of what, whether we're playing the Red Sox or anybody else, we have to play our ballgame and last night they took advantage of a couple of mistakes and Lester did a great job yesterday."

The 24-year-old lefthander stymied a revamped Angels lineup over seven innings, allowing an unearned run on six hits in the Red Sox's 4-1 victory on Wednesday.

Even with offseason acquisition Torii Hunter and midseason pickup Mark Teixeira, Los Angeles was held in check and will not have it any easier on Friday when it faces Daisuke Matsuzaka (18-3, 2.90).

"I think with any pitcher you're going to face, you want to make him work for outs, and Dice-K has great stuff and sometimes he'll pitch on the fringe and expand the strike zone with all of his pitches and I think if we get good counts and good pitches to hit you have to take advantage of that," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

The Red Sox righthander was perfect away from Fenway Park during the regular season, posting a 9-0 record with a 2.37 ERA.

He has been far from flawless against the Angels, however. Matsuzaka allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings during Game Two of the Division Series last season and was roughed up for six runs in five innings during a July 28 matchup in Boston this year.

In his second season since coming over from Japan, Matsuzaka led the AL with 94 walks, which prevented him from going as deep into games as Boston manager Terry Francona may have liked.

"Especially early in the season when he walked some people and got himself in trouble, he always pitched out of it," Francona said. "Early in the season he exited some games a little earlier than, you know -- didn't get as deep in games as his numbers would suggest but we won those games."

Los Angeles took eight of nine from Boston in the regular season, but now must turn to righthander Ervin Santana (16-7, 3.49) to halt the postseason losing skid.

The Angels last won a playoff game against the Red Sox during the 1986 AL Championship Series to take a 3-1 series lead. Boston went on to win the series in seven games, then swept ALDS matchups with its AL West counterpart in 2004 and 2007.

A loss would leave the Angels with the tall task of becoming the second team since the division series was introduced in 1995 to win the five-game series after dropping the first two contests at home. The New York Yankees accomplished the feat against the Oakland Athletics in 2001.