DaisukeMatsuzaka.com- Boston Red Sox Pitcher: Japanese blank Cuba in World Baseball Classic

Japanese blank Cuba in World Baseball Classic
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AFP on 15 March, 2009 03:02:00
 
SAN DIEGO (AFP)  Daisuke Matsuzaka continued his mastery of Cuban hitters to
lead defending champion Japan within a victory of reaching the semi-finals of
the World Baseball Classic.
The 28-year-old Boston Red Sox right-hander struck out eight in pitching six
shutout innings as Japan blanked Cuba 6-0 on Sunday in a second-round game that
was a rematch of the inaugural 2006 Classic final in which he beat Cuba 10-6.
"I just thought about when I pitched against Cuba in the finals last time and
it worked for me," Matsuzaka said. "I knew Cuba was a good team but there was
nothing I was too worried about. I was just trying to pitch well."
Japan advanced to a Tuesday game against either Mexico or South Korea that will
decide a berth in next weekend's semi-finals at Los Angeles.
"This was better than I dreamed," Japanese manager Tatsunori Hara said.
The previously unbeaten Cubans will face the Mexico-South Korea loser on Monday
in a knockout game from the double-elimination competition.
"We lost a battle but not a war. The war will begin tomorrow," Cuba manager
Higinio Velez said.
"We will stay calm. We will come back with our all. Nobody will win this
Classic without losing a game. Psychologically we're already preparing for it.
Our fans need to stay calm and trust in us. We know what we need to do."
Matsuzaka, nicknamed "Dice-K", baffled Cuba batters and fellow Major League
Baseball standouts Kenji Johjima and Akinori Iwamaura each had two hits as
Japan strung together 11 singles to frustrate their Communist island rivals.
"We scored first and this relaxed the team," Hara said. "Everything worked
smoothly with our techniques. We made the connections working together."
Matsuzaka was the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 Classic, going 3-0 with a
1.38 earned-run average and 10 strikeouts. He left Japan's Seibu Lions for
Boston and helped the Red Sox win the 2007 World Series in his first US season.
"In either case, I always get excited," Matsuzaka said. "All the players were
relaxed. I wasn't all that worried. My adjustments went fine."
Matsuzaka, an 18-game winner in 2008, threw 61 of his 86 pitches for strikes
and together with a trio of relievers struck out 12 Cubans in all and never
allowed a Cuban runner beyond second base.
"Matsuzaka is a great pitcher who is well known. We faced a wonderful pitcher
we respect very much," Velez said. "It's not very often this happens to us.
There are great pitchers who can do this."
Cuban left-handed starter Aroldis Chapman, a 21-year-old who hurled a Cuban
record 102-mph pitch last December, was pounded by Japan for three runs in the
third inning.
"Perhaps he felt the pressure," Velez said. "He was not at his best."
Japan's flurry started with back-to-back singles by Seattle Mariners catcher
Johjima and Iwamura, second baseman for 2008 American League winner Tampa Bay.
After Chapman retired Johjima at third off a bunt by Seattle star Ichiro
Suzuki, Yasuyuki Kataoka singled to load the bases and send off Chapman.
A wild pitch by replacement Norberto Gonzalez on his third offering to
Norichika Aoki allowed Iwamura home and advanced the runners. Aoki singled to
score Ichiro and Shuichi Murata followed with a deep fly out to score Kataoka.
Johjima doubled and scored in the fourth while Murata scored in the fifth and
singled in a run in the ninth to complete the Japanese romp.