aisuke Matsuzaka limited the Astros to two hits in five scoreless innings and the Boston Red Sox won their first-ever regular-season game in Houston, 6-1 on Friday night.
J.D. Drew hit a three-run homer and Mike Lowell added a two-run single in the ninth for the Red Sox, who stayed one-half game ahead of Tampa Bay in the AL East.
Matsuzaka (9-1) bounced back from his awful outing against St. Louis last weekend, his first start since coming off the disabled list with a mild strain in his rotator cuff. He gave up seven runs and six hits in one inning in that one, but immediately atoned for that by fanning the first three Astros he faced on Friday.
Lance Berkman led off the second with a single, but Dice-K set down 10 of the next 11 Houston hitters, allowing only a walk to Houston starter Runelvys Hernandez.
Drew helped Boston's Japanese ace with a homer in the third, after Coco Crisp walked and Dustin Pedroia doubled. Drew snapped an 0-for-14 drought with his 15th homer.
Houston loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth inning, the only real scoring threat Matsuzaka faced all night. After a mound visit from pitching coach John Farrell, Matsuzaka got David Newhan to pop up for the final out.
Craig Hansen relieved Matsuzaka for the sixth and needed only eight pitches to retire the Astros in order. Pedroia tacked on an RBI single in the seventh off Astros reliever Chris Sampson.
Reggie Abercrombie hit a solo homer off Hideki Okajima in the eighth, the first run allowed by Boston's bullpen in 12 innings. Miguel Tejada singled before Boston manager Terry Francona brought in closer Jonathan Papelbon, who struck out Berkman.
The Red Sox loaded the bases in the ninth and Lowell singled to center off Doug Brocail. Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 24th save in his 28th chance.
The Astros' punchless offense ruined a solid start from the 30-year-old Hernandez, who was called up from the minors on Thursday to take Shawn Chacon's spot in the rotation.
Houston placed Chacon on waivers Thursday, one day after he got into a physical confrontation with general manager Ed Wade in the Astros' clubhouse.
Hernandez was 6-3 with a 3.72 ERA in 15 starts with Triple-A Round Rock before the Astros purchased his contract.
Notes: Pedroia has hit safely in his last nine road games. ... Crisp will begin serving a five-game suspension on Saturday. Major League Baseball cut two days off his original seven-game suspension for his role in a bench-clearing brawl during Boston's June 5 game against Tampa Bay. ... Boston has now beaten every NL opponent on the road except the Los Angeles Dodgers (0-3).
06/27/2008 11:36 PM
By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON
Boston Red Sox's Daisuke Matsuzaka delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Houston Astros in a baseball game Friday, June 27, 2008, in Houston.
(AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
aisuke Matsuzaka limited the Astros to two hits in five scoreless innings and the Boston Red Sox won their first-ever regular-season game in Houston, 6-1 on Friday night.
