Dice K Tosses Gem, Sox Blank Angels (4/23/11)

It was a big night in Boston with Anime Boston rocking the Hines Convention Center and the Boston Bruins winning Game 5 of their first round playoff series in double overtime against the Montreal Canadiens in the Boston Garden. 3,000 miles away it was even more Boston success thanks to the resurgent Daisuke Matsuzaka (2-2, 4.09 ERA) and the Boston Red Sox victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Improving on his Patriots Day gem, Dice K was even better tonight with 8 shutout innings allowing just 1 hit and 3 walks while striking out 9. On the offensive side, Kevin Youkilis hit a 2 run homer and a balanced attack put 5 runs on the board. It all added up to a great night for Bostonians with a 5-0 shutout win over the Angels at Angels Stadium.

                                                     Nathan Horton approves of the win

Ervin Santana got the start for the Angels and Jacoby Ellsbury led off by taking strike three to start. Dustin Pedroia walked and stole second, but Adrian Gonzalez flied out to left. Kevin Youkilis struck out swinging to end the inning. Dice K began his dominance in the bottom of the first as Maicer Izturis flied out to right to start. Erick Aybar struck out swinging and Bobby Abreu flied out to center to end the inning.

The Sox struck first in the top of the second inning although David Ortiz grounded out to second to start. Jed Lowrie doubled into the right field corner but JD Drew took strike three. Crawl Crawford singled off the glove of Aybar to score Lowrie with the go-ahead run but Jason Varitek struck out swining with the Sox ahead 1-0.

                                                              Crawford drives in a run

The Angels mounted their only threat in the bottom of the second inning as Torii Hunter walked to start. Vernon Wells flied out to center but Dice K almost got his head taken off on a liner by Alberto Callaspo that fell into left for a single. Hank Conger flied out to left and Mark Trumbo struck out swinging to end the inning.

The Sox got another run in the top of the third inning when Ellsbury got a base hit to center to start. Ellsbury swiped second and moved to third on the Pedroia fly out to center. Gonzalez dropped a base hit to right to score Ellsbury with another run. Youkilis struck out swinging at a high fastball but Ortiz lined a base hit to center, moving Gonzalez to third. Lowrie flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.

                                                         Ellsbury scores a run

Dice K cruised in the bottom of the third as Reggie Willits struck out swinging to start. Izturis also went down hacking and Aybar flied out to right to end the inning.

The Sox did nothing in the top of the fourth as Drew took strike three to start. Crawford grounded out to second and Varitek grounded out to short to end the inning. Abreu walked to begin the bottom of the fourth but Hunter flied out to right. Wells flied out to center and Callaspo flied out to center to end the inning.

The Sox struck again in the top of the fifth as Ellsbury singled to center and swiped second. Pedroia popped up to first and Gonzalez struck out swinging, but Youkilis swatted his 4th home run of the season to ice the game. Ortiz struck out siwnging to end the inning but it was 4-0 Sox.

                                                         Youkilis goes yard

Dice K cruised in the bottom of the fifth as Conger took strike three to start. Trumbo went down swinging and Willits took strike three to end the inning.

The Sox scored again in the top of the sixth although Lowrie flied out to right to start. Drew popped up to third in foul territory but Crawford slapped a double down the left field line. Varitek doubled into the right field corner to score Crawford with another run, but Ellsbury flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-0.

                                                       Varitek finally gets a good hit

Nothing could stop Dice K in the bottom of the sixth as Izturis flied out to center to start. Aybar hit a broken bat liner to Youkilis but Abreu walked. Hunter grounded out to short to end the inning.

Santana cruised in the top of the seventh as Pedroia hit a bullet but right to Izturis to start. Gonzalez hit a 380 foot fly out to left and Youkilis struck out swinging to end the inning. Dice K continued his dominance in the bottom of the seventh as Wells grounded out to short to start. Callaspo and Conger both struck out swinging to end the inning.

Jason Bulger came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Ortiz flied out to left to start. Lowrie singled to right and Drew hit a routine pop up to shallow right that Abreu slide and missed completely. Drew got credit for a "single" but Crawford flied out to center. Varitek lined out to third to end the inning.

                                                    "I don't got it....." - Abreu

Dice K returned for one last inning in the bottom of the eighth as Trumbo flied out to center to start. Howie Kendrick pinch hit for Willits and grounded out to second before Izturis also grounded out to second to end the inning. That was one of Dice K's best starts ever, allowing just 1 run in 8 shutout innings.

                                                                 Dice K Delivers

Peter Boujors took Trumbo's spot in the lineup for the top of the ninth and Ellsbury struck out swinging to start. Pedroia grounded out to third and Gonzalez grounded out to short to end the inning. Daniel Bard came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Aybar legged out an infield single to short to start. Aybar took second on defensive indifference but Abreu struck out swinging. Hunter struck out swinging and Wells grounded out to second to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-0.

                                                                    Sox win

Hero of the Night is Daisuke Matsuzaka. He pitched 8 shutout innings and allowed just a hit and 3 walks.

                                                           Dice K Hero

The Good:

Jacoby Ellsbury was 2 for 5 with 2 stolen bases and 2 runs scored.

Jed Lowrie was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Carl Crawford was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.

Daniel Bard pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

The Bad:

None

The Ugly:

Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4 but walked and stole a base.

Adrian Gonzalez was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but drove in a run.

Kevin Youkilis was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but hit a 2 run home run.

David Ortiz was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

JD Drew was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Jason Varitek was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.

Final Thoughts:

If Dice K rediscovers his 2008 form then this team is going to be very hard to beat this season. Jon Lester and Josh Beckett look like they've found their groove and if Dice K does as well, look out American League. Dice K was outstanding tonight and topped his Patriots Day game, which a lot of people didn't think possible. The offense was a balanced attack and if they can stay healthy all season, they'll be tough to beat too. Apart from Marco Scutaro there's not a single automatic out on this team and Scutaro isn't exactly 2007 Julio Lugo either. Its only a matter of time before Ortiz and Gonzalez start hitting rockets out of ballyards and if Ellsbury, Crawford and Pedroia are the on base machines they should be, this really could be the "best team evah". All in all it was a good win and the Sox look to sweep the Angels out of Anaheim on Easter Sunday tomorrow afternoon. John Lackey (1-2) looks to rebound against Matt Palmer of the Angels. The game begins at 3:30 PM Eastern time at Angels Stadium.