ALCS Game One Recap Boston At Tampa Bay: Dice-Killed It

Had someone told me, when I woke up this morning, that Daisuke Matsuzaka was going to throw a no-no through six innings and pitch a shut out through seven, I would have laughed.  I would have been enthralled, but extremely optimistic at the validity of the statement.

Fast-forward a few hours, and that's exactly how Game One of the ALCS played out.

Daisuke Matsuzaka, after walking three in the first inning, tossed seven shut-out innings, with 9 K's, and didn't give up a single hit until the seventh inning.  Matsuzaka got into a groove early on, coming after batters and attacking the strike zone, allowing him to keep his pitch count low and give the bullpen most of the night off.

Dice-K was able to pitch himself out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning, stranding the three batters he walked. Then in the seventh with two runners in scoring position and no outs Matsuzaka was able to silence the 35,001 cowbell toting fans at The Trop by retiring the next three to end the inning.

Boston got on the board in the fifth when Jed Lowrie hit a sacrifice fly scoring Jason Bay from third. It wasn't quite as spectacular as the the combo made four days prior to clinch the ALDS, but it certainly left me pondering the thought of a new weapon for Tito's arsenal.

Dustin Pedroia, who has been struggling this postseason, went 1-3 but that one hit proved to be just as big as it did four days ago.  After stealing second Pedroia was able to score on a double from Kevin Youkilis, putting the Sox up by two.

Matsuzaka came out for the eighth inning, but gave up a pair of base hits to Iwamura and B.J. Upton, before being replaced by Hideki Okajima.

Okajima delivered three balls before inducing Carlos Pena to fly out to right, and was then replaced by Justin Masterson.

Masterson was able to get Evan Longoria to hit into a double play to end the eighth, leaving Longoria 0-fer on the night.

After Grant Balfour retired the side in the top of the ninth for Tampa Bay, the executioner, Jonathan Papelbon, made his way to the mound for Boston.  Papelbon retired the side in twelve pitches with two strike outs.

Tonight's win not only allowed Boston's bullpen to rest, but it allows Beckett to relax a bit more heading into Game Two tomorrow evening.  If Beckett is able to win tomorrow, and put Boston up two games to none, things will be looking good for the defending World Champs with Lester scheduled to go in Game Three back in Beantown.