Japanese hurlers do battle in Boston
BOSTON — For the first time, two Japanese-born starters faced each other at Fenway Park.
For Daisuke Matsuzaka, it was more of the same.
The Boston Red Sox's $103 million man couldn't shake his season-long struggles while the much less costly Kenshin Kawakami pitched the Atlanta Braves to their second straight easy win, 8-2, Friday night.
"He's had his moments where he looks like a number one, number two," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said of his rookie. "We're just trying to get him acclimated over here."
Kawakami, who turns 34 Monday, signed a $23 million, three-year contract in January after 11 seasons with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan's Central League.
He allowed two runs and two hits in six innings, improved to 4-6 and gave up three earned runs or less for his ninth straight game.
"He was pounding the strike zone. We had a great game plan," catcher Brian McCann said. "He rises to the occasion."
Matsuzaka was 18-3 last year — the second of a six-year contract that pays him $52 million after the Red Sox paid $51 million just to negotiate with him.
This year, he missed most of spring training while winning the MVP award of the World Baseball Classic, spent time on the disabled list and is 1-5 with an 8.23 ERA. Opponents are batting .378.
With John Smoltz set to make his first start next Thursday after six rehab outings, Matsuzaka's time in the rotation may be up.
"If I keep going like this, I have no right to be a part of this rotation," he said through an interpreter.
A decision could come on Monday's off day."We'll certainly sit down" and discuss the rotation, Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "We have the ability to be a little flexible in what we do."Matsuzaka gave up a homer on the first pitch of the game to Nate McLouth and let the first five batters reach. He left after allowing doubles to the first two batters in the fifth and gave up six runs on eight hits as he failed to reach the sixth for the sixth time in eight outings.Jason Bay got both of Boston's hits off Kawakami, a double and his 18th homer, a two-run shot, before three relievers held the Red Sox hitless.Garret Anderson went 3 for 3 with four RBI as the Braves finally gave Kawakami support after scoring 24 runs in his other 69Z\c innings.Atlanta won its second straight since breaking a four-game losing streak with a 7-0 win at Cincinnati in which McLouth had a homer and four RBI.After McLouth's 12th homer this season, Atlanta loaded the bases on a single by Yunel Escobar, a double by Chipper Jones and a walk to McCann. Anderson's walk made it 2-0, but Matsuzaka escaped with a strikeout and double play, extending his streak to 17 straight hitless at bats with the bases loaded.The Braves added two runs in each the fourth and sixth for a 6-0 lead.
