Game Preview: Stanks vs. Sox, GM3

New York (8-8) at Boston (11-5)
8:00 ESPN & ESPN HD
Wright (1-0, 5.40) vs. Matsuzaka (1-2, 2.70)

Tonight Dice-K will realize the second most-important reason why he was brought here- to defeat the Evil Empire!

In the first two games of this series fans have been treated to 25 runs, 46 hits, 16 pitchers, 2 bunt singles, 6 doubles, 4 homers, 1 wild pitch, 1 hit batter, 1 intentional base on balls, and one Coco back flip over the wall.

But with all that fun & frolicking, tonight's final match of this three-game set could be the most interesting of them all.

That's because international media sensation (who also happens to be a pretty good pitcher, too) Daisuke Matsuzaka makes his Red Sox/Yankee rivalry debut, and no matter how much big-game experience this worldly 26-year-old has had, nothing will compare to what he will go through tonight.

That's because of all the places he's pitched before- Japan League, World Baseball Classic, Spring Training and 3 major league starts- none of those places had the history, hatred and hubbub of a Sox/Stankees series. No, not even the WBC, because although pride of country was a strong factor in Dice-K and Japan winning the title, that series didn't have the back story, deep-seeded animosity and clout of a BOS-NY match up.

Matsuzaka has pitched well in his first three MLB starts-striking out 24 batters and holding opponents to a .233 batting average. His problem has been with his batters; in Dice-K's 3 starts the Sox have averaged 1.7 runs, in all the other games the hitters have given their pitchers 6 runs to work with.

The odds are in Matsuzaka's favor tonight that the Sox will score a few runs for him. Rookie Chase Wright will make his 2nd major league start and the 4th of his career above double-A. He allowed 3 runs in 5 innings in his first start but earned the win against the Indians as the Stanks scored 10 runs, but if he allows 3 or more tonight the Sox will win.

And the way the Sox have been teeing off on Stankee pitching this series- 14 runs and 26 hits in 2 games- that shouldn't be a problem. Throw in the fact that Dice-K will want to come out and be at his very best for this important premiere, and I smell a Sox sweep in the air.

There will be took rookies on the mound tonight as the Sox go for that sweep, rookies to the Major Leagues and virgins to the feeling of starting a Sox/Stankee game.

By the end of the night only one of them will know what it feels like to pop his cherry.

And he speaks Japanese.