A strong Matsuzaka is right on the money

The Great $103 Million Experiment seemed to be hitting a snag. In seven starts before last night, Daisuke Matsuzaka was 1-4 with an 8.15 ERA.

Fatigue appeared to be setting in, with the longer season and shorter rest in the United States used as potential reasons for the Japanese righthander's slide.

But in his last start before his first major league postseason, Matsuzaka gave a command performance. Allowing just two runs on six hits, he went eight strong innings - and 119 pitches - still throwing 95 miles per hour in the eighth as the Red Sox beat the Twins, 5-2, at Fenway Park on the way to securing the American League East title.

Matsuzaka had said during his rough patch that he was not tired. Last night he showed it.

"When I was pitching in Japan, that was a typical situation that I would face going deep into the game, so in that sense, it has always been what is expected of me," Matsuzaka said through his translator.

"But now that I stand here at the end of the season, this is the type of game that I wanted to have, and in that sense, I am very happy."

His team was happy, too, with Matsuzaka (15-12) looking like a strong No. 2 starter for the postseason, and his outing helping to lock up the Sox' first division title since 1995.

Manager Terry Francona, who never doubted Matsuzaka would go out for the eighth after throwing 105 pitches, acknowledged that such a performance was critical.

"I can spin it any way you want, and I will," Francona said. "But that was great to see."

Matsuzaka had his trademark movement on every pitch, confounding the Minnesota batters to register eight strikeouts. With the exception of a seventh-inning home run to dead center by Justin Morneau that Jacoby Ellsbury could only watch sail into the stands, Matsuzaka allowed few hard-hit balls.

"[He had] a lot of definition on his pitches; I liked the shape of his pitches," Francona said. "Fastball had a good angle with some life and offspeed pitches some differential . . . giving the hitters a lot of different looks."

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, whose team was facing Matsuzaka for the first time, was impressed with the pitcher's stamina.

"In the eighth inning, he really got after it pretty good," Gardenhire said.

"I think that's when you see a pitcher step up. He's throwing the ball a lot harder in the eighth inning than he was earlier in the game, and he really reared back and let it go. I think he gave them what he wanted."

The end of the regular season offered a chance to reflect on the ups and downs of Matsuzaka's rookie year. From his outstanding start to his trials late in the season, the pitcher impressed the manager with his poise.

"What happened during the course of the year is probably what could have been expected," Francona said.

"Some peaks and valleys. So much newness, so much difference just in the culture and all the things we've talked about since Day 1. But he's handled himself very professionally. He's worked very hard. I think what's most reassuring is his competitiveness and his heart. He's not going to back down. Not to anybody."

Matsuzaka didn't want to reflect, at least not while there was still baseball to be played. But he expressed pride in topping 200 innings and 200 strikeouts - reaching both milestones last night. He became the first rookie to accomplish that feat since Mark Langston and Dwight Gooden in 1984.

"Before the season started, I felt that as long as I kept my place in the rotation and I fulfilled my role as a starter that the 200 innings would be something that I would achieve, so in that sense, I'm a little bit relieved today," Matsuzaka said.

"As for the 200 strikeouts, I feel that's more like a bonus."

About an hour after giving his postgame remarks, Matsuzaka was in the jubilant clubhouse, already soaked with champagne, talking with Japanese reporters when Alex Cora and Dustin Pedroia mounted a sneak attack. The two infielders approached from behind, and each dumped a bottle of Korbel on Matsuzaka's head.

The pitcher laughed, embraced both players, then put his sopping "AL East Champions" hat back on, wearing a wide grin. It was an introduction to yet another distinct custom of American baseball.