When he joined the Boston Red Sox from Japan, Hideki Okajima said he wouldn’t have a problem playing in the shadow of his more celebrated countryman, Daisuke Matsuzaka. However, entering Game 3 of the World Series, it is Dice-K who should be hoping to duplicate what his teammate has done.
“That was awesome last night,” manager Terry Francona said Friday of the relief efforts of Okajima and closer Jonathan Papelbon, who combined to shut down the Rockies for the final 3 2/3 innings of the Red Sox’s 2-1 triumph in Game 2 at Fenway Park.
Awesome would be one word to describe how well Okajima has pitched throughout the postseason. In six appearances spanning 9 2/3 innings, the 31-year-old, who Thursday night became the first Japanese pitcher to throw in the World Series, has been touched for only five hits and has yet to give up a run.
Somehow, Okajima has walked three men, but has more than atoned for that with nine strikeouts.
For his part, Matsuzaka, who was lured to Boston by a $103 million deal, including rights to negotiate with him and his actual signing, got some measure of payback in his previous start, winning Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against Cleveland just days after failing to stop the Indians in Game 3 of the series. That night, Matsuzaka allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings; in Game 7, he limited the Tribe to two runs in five innings of work.
Now Dice-K, who has been the subject of much scrutiny throughout the season, comes to Colorado. During Boston’s workout Friday, Matsuzaka appeared to devote a lot of time to working on his breaking pitches. Perhaps the right-hander already knows that having an effective curve at altitude can translate into a much more effective outing.
“Playing catch today and just feeling things out, I felt I might have to work a little harder on my command while I’m here, and the one thing that I want to be particularly careful about is leaving the breaking ball up,” he said, speaking through a translator.
Asked if he felt any different in the thin air at Coors Field, Matsuzaka, who preceded his teammates in coming out West, said: “I arrived yesterday, and I don’t know if it’s just that I’m insensitive, but I haven’t noticed anything too different.”
The Boston lineup will be undergoing some changes. Playing without the designated hitter, Francona said Friday that David Ortiz will move to first base in Game 3. With Mike Lowell remaining at third, that means Kevin Youkilis, who’s hitting .396 in the postseason, will be on the bench.
“We sat down and tried to talk through it logically, and I guess we felt like this was the best thing to do,” Francona said. “You’re talking about …two guys that drove in 120, and we love Youkilis as a hitter, too.
“It’s a difficult situation to be in, but I don’t have any second-guessing about what we’re doing. I’d just rather play all three of them.”
Youkilis normally bats second in the Boston lineup. Francona said he was leaning toward having center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury lead off and drop Dustin Pedroia to second in front of Ortiz.
Anthony Cotton: 303-954-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com
