The Starter:
Matsuzaka is the new Wakefield. Keep your team well in the game, but don't expect any run support. His meltdown in the 4th inning, to me, was all emotion. He used that anger to continue to badass his way through the Jays in the 5th and the 6th, but the damage had been done. He found time to strike out 10 Jays anyway.
The 'Pen:
This bullpen just keeps giving us good performances. Okajima struck out the side in the 7th, while Jo-El pitched a scoreless 8th. Just as an aside, if our bullpen keeps doing this, and we continue to have these kinds of starting pitching performances, we should win a whole lot of ballgames.
The Lineup:
Even with a meltdown inning like that, a 6 IP, 2 ER, 10K should mean a win every time out. Unfortunately, the Sox were not up to the challenge against Chacin, with their only run scoring on a Wily Mo solo job that barely cleared the wall. Coco contributed 2 hits, one a double.
The Field:
Not a lot to complain about here. Not a whole lot to congratulate either.
Winner: Matsuzaka. Like I said above, his performance, despite his 4th inning struggle, should equal a W every time out.
Winner: Non-Coco and Non-Pena lineup. This kind of performance cannot be repeated. Chacin continues his perfect record against the Sox.
Next up:
Wakefield takes the hill against Jays' ace Tomo Ohka. Wakefield is 12-8 with a 3.93 ERA against the Jays lifetime. Ohka has never faced the Sox.