European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 7, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday april 7 2007 stars and stripes Page 33 impressive import Matsuzaka handles royals to win big league debut Charlie Daisuke Matsuzaka throws a pitch during the first inning of thursdays game against Kansas City the million Pitcher limited the royals to one run Over seven innings in winning his major league debut 41 the associated press Kansas City to some pitchers have really Good fast balls and some throw darting Slid ers others keep batters off bal Ance with of Speed pitches now out of Japan comes Daisuke Matsuzaka who seems to have it All just ask the Kansas City royals who struck out 10 times and managed Only six hits in seven innings off him in his first major league Start anytime you have that Good of a fastball and the of Speed to go with it if s Tough said Ryan Shealy who struck out three times in Bostons 41 Victory he mixes up Speed on his pitches and moves it in and out you cant really get comfortable with him i didst know he threw that hard with millions of Early risers watching on japanese television it was am in Tokyo when Zack Greinke threw the first pitch Matsuzaka turned in a performance that made him Happy but not entirely thrilled i cant say that my Overall condition was that great today but i think the role of a starting Pitcher is to set up the game and give my teammates the Opportunity to win he said through an interpreter i feel like i was Able to do that today so i was satisfied on a cold blustery afternoon Matsuzaka 10 allowed a six thinning Homer by David Dejesus and walked one he looked every bit the Ace Boston Felt was Worth million his fastball was clocked at 95 Mph and his famed array of fast balls Chang ups and breaking pitches at times was dazzling flashing a Reddish Range Glove during his slow motion Windup he retired 10 batters in a Row Dur ing one stretch starting with the final out of the first inning he struck out the Side in the fourth on 14 pitches even before his first meaning Ful major league pitch Matsuzaka mania has been in full swing red sox executives have Busi Ness cards printed in English on one Side and japanese on the other restaurants in the Fenway Park area Are beginning to offer japanese dishes and More than 100 japanese Media have been chronicling his every step about 200 Media were on hand in Kan Sas City the biggest such Contin gent Kauffman stadium has housed since the seventh game of the 1985 world series up to now Given All the expectations that have surrounded me Ive Felt Happy about those expectations Matsuzaka said but at the same time feeling like per haps they were a Little bit extreme but speaking for myself and for All the fans that have sup ported me Here if s great that i was Able to come out Here and record a Victory in my first Start he also proved himself adept in the Field pouncing on three weakly hit grounders and throw ing once to second base to Start a double play Hes a Good Pitcher the Roy als Mark Teahen said he throws a few of Speed pitches and throws everything for strikes Hes got a Good fastball Teahen for one was not ready to proclaim him the next Sandy Koufax i dont think you can take too much from one Start he said he threw Well today Well see How he does i will Tell you this i was pretty impressed royals manager buddy Bell said he just really had a feel for what he was doing everything he did was absolutely solid everything that he tried to do Matsuzaka left the Seibu Lions to sign a million six year con tract with the red sox who bid for his rights athletics 4 Angels 3 Mike Piazza hit his first Home run As a full time designated hitter connecting against Francisco Rodriguez with two outs in the ninth inning Justin Duchscherer 10 pitched i2h innings and Huston Street got three outs for his first save Vladimir Guerrero and Garret Anderson hit consecutive Solo homers in the fourth for the an gels Devi rays 7 Yankees 6 Alex Rodriguez flopped in another at Bat and the Devil rays spoiled Andy Pettitte return to the Yan Kees Elijah Dukes hit his second Homer in As Many major league games and Tampa Bay took the Lead in the eighth inning on a wild pitch and held on for Only its fourth Road Victory since july 1 Rodriguez popped out against Brian Stokes with the bases loaded and the score 76 to end the eighth Ruddy Lugo 10 won it and a Reyes worked a perfect ninth for his first save since 2005 with St Louis Pettitte allowed two earned runs and six hits in four innings Luis Vizcaino 11 got the loss White sox 4 indians 3 at Chi Cago Roberto Hernandez 01 bit a Pierzynski with a pitch with the bases loaded in the ninth inning forcing in the winning run the White sox got their first Victory on a Day when starter Mark Buehrle was forced out in the second inning when hit in the left forearm by Ryan Gar Kos line drive rays were negative Bobby Jenks 10 got four outs for the Victory Cleveland Grady Sizemore hit a Lead off Homer to become the first indians player to Homer in each of the first three games of the season after three games theres a familiar look to phils the associated press Philadelphia Philadel shias sluggish Start has an All too familiar feel for Phillies fans Chuck James pitched five innings Kelly Johnson hit a two run Homer and the Atlanta braves completed a three game sweep of Philadelphia with an 84 Victory on thursday when Jimmy Rollins boldly proclaimed in january that the Phillies should be favourites to win the division the three time Allstar shortstop certainly didst expect an 03 Start at Home meanwhile the braves Are 30 for the first time since opening with seven straight victories in 1994 Well be Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said if s just a matter of us putting a Good game together Adam Eaton 01 was roughed up in his first Start since signing a million three year con tract the right hander allowed eight seven hits in innings James 10 gave up one run and six hits striking out five Rafael Soriano got one out for his first save with the braves if s enormous for us to get off to a Good Start Johnson said everyone been looking at the mets and Phillies so if s Good to set a tone the Phillies who were swept by St Louis in a season opening three game series at Home last year entered this season with High expectations after falling Short of the no wildcard berth in the final weekend the last two years they were hoping for a Strong Start after going 1014 each of the past two aprils in Stead there already three games behind the mets and braves with six games upcoming at Florida and new York Are we pressing i think its too Early for that Eaton said were looking Forward to a Good season i dont think three games is going to make or break us giants 5 padres 3 at Sari Francisco Barry Bonds had an rib double Ray Durham hit a godhead two run single after a walk to Bonds in the decisive fifth and Matt Morris pitched six innings for the giants Bruce Bochy beat his old team for his first Victory As giants Man Ager and san Francisco avoided going 03for Only the fifth time since the team moved West from new York in 1958 Josh Bard hit a two out two run single in the ninth for the padres but Armando Benitez got Mike Cameron to pop out with runners on first and second for his first save Morris 10 allowed one run and five hits Clay Hensley 01 allowed five runs and seven hits in innings reds s cubs 2 at Cincinnati Michael Barretts passed Ball let in the tie breaking run in the seventh As the reds took two of three in their opening series Bob Howry 01 gave up Pinch hitter Jeff confines single that tied it with two outs in the seventh then walked Ryan reel will Ohman came on and threw a wild pitch with Adam Dunn at the plate Barrett then compounded the mistake by letting a Low sinking pitch deflect off the end of his Mitt and skitter to the Backstop Scott Hatteberg added a two run Homer in the eighth off Scott Eyre Victor Santos 10 pitched out of a threat in the seventh and David Weathers got three outs for his first save diamondbacks 4 nationals 3 Chris Young hit a two run single in the first inning and Orlando Hudson homered in the third for visiting Arizona the diamondbacks had a 40 Lead by the third and Edgar Gonzalez 10 and four relievers made it stand up Jason Bergmann 01 departed after allowing four runs in 32a innings which actually lowered the Era of Washington starters from 1137 to 1102 Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth for his second save Dmitri Young homered for the nationals