Dash drops series opener

The Winston-Salem Dash has dug a hole in the first round of the Carolina League playoffs.

Pitcher Daisuke "Dice-K" Matsuzaka blew through town last night and blew away the Dash as the Salem Red Sox won 7-2 at crowded Wake Forest Baseball Park to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 series.

Matsuzaka, who left after facing three batters in the seventh and throwing 89 pitches, was unavailable for comment after the game. After being relieved, he spoke to Japanese reporters across the street at the Joel Coliseum Annex while the game continued.

He was making his final rehab start before heading back to the Boston Red Sox, and he didn't disappoint the crowd of more than 3,000. He pitched 62/3 innings, giving up just three hits and one unearned run with a walk and seven strikeouts.

Manager Chad Epperson of Salem said he wasn't surprised at all the Boston Red Sox fans in attendance, many wearing Dice-K jerseys.

"They are everywhere," Epperson said. "I spent the last two years out in California and they were all out there as well -- that's why we are called ‘The Red Sox Nation.'"

Matsuzaka was a little shaky in the first inning, giving up one unearned run, but it was a foul-ball call by third-base umpire Matt Benham that had Manager Joe McEwing of the Dash scratching his head. Brent Morel sent a line shot down the line that McEwing thought was fair.

Even though Morel later singled in the at-bat to score a run, McEwing was ejected the next inning.

"All I wanted was an explanation or an answer and I wasn't given one," McEwing said. "I was as calm as can be and I wanted an answer and I wanted to understand what he was seeing. I had it a different way so it was a miscommunication of what we both saw."

It was McEwing's fourth ejection at home this season, and he had to watch the rest of the game down the left-field line from outside the Dash's clubhouse.

The Red Sox got to starter Justin Edwards in the first inning when Brad Correll hit a two-run homer for 2-0 lead. The Dash got one back in the bottom of the first, but after that Matsuzaka, who will make $8 million this season, got into a groove.

"He came in here and got his work done and it was just like we drew it up," Epperson said. "This is exactly what we wanted and now we can send him on his way back to Boston."

Matsuzaka, who was 18-3 last season for Boston, has struggled with an ailing right shoulder since June and was making his seventh start in the minors.

Center fielder Justin Greene of the Dash said that it took a little time to adjust.

"It was a surreal feeling," Greene said. "But after the first pitch you realize it's still a bat and still a ball and you still have to hit it."

Edwards, who lasted six innings and gave up four earned runs, pitched a decent game but Matsuzaka stole the show.

"It's kind of unfortunate we had to face him in Game 1, I guess it's just the luck of the draw," Greene said.

Even though it's the playoffs, major-leaguers on rehab assignments are eligible.

Greene joked about who might be pitching for Salem later in the series. "Yeah, maybe it will be (Josh) Beckett or (Jonathan) Papelbon or Jon Lester, who knows," he said.

The Red Sox added single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth and two more in the ninth to win easily.

The Dash had three errors, something that did concern McEwing.

"That's not like us," McEwing said. "That stuff is going to happen, we just have to bounce back and come out tomorrow and play better.

"This team is resilient and it's been that way all year."

Even though the Dash had to face Matsuzaka, McEwing said he wasn't going to make excuses.

"It's not unfair, it is what it is," McEwing said. "Whoever is on the mound, we've got to go out and accept the challenge. The kids have worked hard all year, and we aren't going to let that spoil what we set out to do."

According to tradition, when an established major leaguer plays in the minors he usually buys the team dinner afterward.

When asked where the dinner was, Epperson said: "I'm going to find out right now."

Notes: Game 2 of the series is scheduled for tonight at 7 with Anthony Carter starting for the Dash and the Red Sox countering with Kyle Weiland…. Ed Collari, the director of broadcasting and media relations for the Dash, said he issued six media credentials for Japanese media who have been following Matsuzaka during his rehab starts.

■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.

SALEM ab r h bi W-S ab r h bi

Lin cf 5 1 1 0 Mllnhr 2b 3 1 0 0

Hee 3b 3 2 3 1 Paiml ss 2 1 0 0

Rizzo 1b 5 0 0 1 Sanchez rf 4 0 0 0

Correll rf 4 1 2 2 Morel 3b 3 0 1 2

Jones dh 4 0 1 0 Loman 1b 3 0 0 0

Fdrwcz c 3 1 1 1 Jhnsn dh 3 0 0 0

Mailman lf 4 0 0 0 Greene cf 4 0 2 0

Borowiak 2b 3 1 1 0 Curtis c 3 0 1 0

Dent ss 4 1 1 0 Kuhn lf 4 0 0 0

Totals 35 7 10 9 Totals 29 2 4 2