Daisuke Matsuzaka has grown quite a bit during his time in Boston with the Red Sox, and never was that more apparent than his long-awaited return to the Fenway mound on Tuesday night.

The 29-year-old Japanese hurler made his first Red Sox start since June 19 after undergoing a rigorous three-month shoulder-strengthening program, and he did it in something of a high-pressure environment facing an Angels team that’s a likely opponent in the American League Division Series.

“Daisuke is Daisuke,” said Sox catcher Jason Varitek. “There were a lot of encouraging things going on out on the field tonight, and Daisuke was a big part of that.”

Matsuzaka proved to be up for the task in the first game of the series against a Halos offense that leads the big leagues with a .286 team batting average, and David Ortiz once again looked like he still might just have a few playoff tricks left up his Big Papi sleeve.

David Ortiz smacked an RBI single in the sixth frame off John Lackey – with another hard-luck loss at Fenway Park -- and then smacked his 270th career home run at the designated hitter position in the eighth inning in Boston’s 4-1 win over the Angels. The home run allowed Ortiz to pass Frank Thomas for the Major League lead in career home runs hit by a designated hitter.

With many eyes watching on that were curious how the right-hander would respond after a nearly complete throwaway season, Matsuzaka was brilliant like he is in so many huge situations. The hurler threw six innings of shutout ball and was aggressive in the strike zone with his fastball all night while scattering three hits and three walks while fanning five hitters.

Sox pitching coach John Farrell said he hadn’t seen true power and precision from Matsuzaka’s fastball like that since his rookie season in 2007, and that the pitcher “surpassed their expectations” in his first start back. The righty notched his first Major League win since June 2 against the Detroit Tigers, and secured his first victory at Fenway since last season.

“It looked he had some life on his fastball without effort,” said Sox manager Terry Francona. “It’s a huge shot in the arm for us. He really stayed in his delivery. I think we feel like it’s realistic that he can come back in his next start and -- not necessarily match the numbers -- but be the same pitcher.”

The allusion to his next start is a frank admission by the Sox coaching staff that Matsuzaka remains strongly in the running for a spot in a potential playoff starting rotation, and that decisions will be made based on which arm is pitching the best when September ends. Matsuzaka could be look awfully good lumped in with a starting trio of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz all seemingly locked in for postseason duty, and he still feels like there’s plenty to prove in something of a lost season.

“On the road back, I’ve been a burden on my teammates more than anything, and I feel that I owe them,” said Matsuzaka through translator Masa Hoshino. “There’s not much left in the season, but in the limited time – and the limited opportunity that I do have – I want to show my appreciation to my teammates and the fans by contributing in a positive way.”
 

 

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