Dice - K starts off right

Shawn Medeiros

Sports Editor

In a game that could have painted Daisuke Matsuzaka's future reputation, the Japanese star's outing was better than a Picasso masterpiece.

Struggling in the first inning and getting out of it with a double play ball Matsuzaka was beyond brilliant through the rest of the game.

His final stat line read seven innings pitched, six hits, one run, one earned run, one walk, and 10 strikeouts. Not a bad performance to start a major league career.

The most startling aspect of his performance was not in his stat line. It was how he handled certain situations throughout the game.

In the first inning with two men on and one out Dice-K could have easily caved in and let the game slip away from him. Although, that was not the case for Matsuzaka. He got out of the inning with a double play ball, then settled down, and painted corners with Greg Maddux like precision.

Dice-K did give up a homer to David Dejusus and also got out of a jam with a double play by way of strike em' out and throw em' out but overall it was a great first outing for Matsuzaka.

Here is a break down of Dice-K's innings courtesy of ESPN.com

Kansas City - Bottom of 1st (1-0)
D DeJesus singled to center.
E German grounded into fielder's choice to second, D DeJesus out at second.
M Teahen walked, E German to second.
E Brown grounded into double play, pitcher to shortstop to first, M Teahen out at second.
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors

Kansas City - Bottom of 2nd (1-0)
A Gordon flied out to left.
R Shealy lined out to right.
R Gload struck out swinging.
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors

Kansas City - Bottom of 3rd (1-0)
J Buck struck out looking.
T Pena grounded out to pitcher.
D DeJesus flied out to center.
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors

Kansas City - Bottom of 4th (1-0)
E German struck out looking.
M Teahen struck out swinging.
E Brown struck out swinging.
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors

Kansas City - Bottom of 5th (2-0)

A Gordon singled to left.
R Shealy struck out looking.
R Gload flied out to right.
J Buck singled to center, A Gordon to third.
T Pena grounded out to pitcher.
0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors

Kansas City - Bottom of 6th (2-1)

D DeJesus homered to right.
E German singled to center.
M Teahen struck out looking. E German caught stealing second, catcher to shortstop.
E Brown doubled to deep left center.
A Gordon struck out looking.
1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors

Kansas City - Bottom of 7th (2-1)
R Shealy struck out swinging.
R Gload struck out swinging.
J Buck flied out to center.
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors

Overall, I give Dice-K a B+ for his first career start in the major leagues. The only reason why I do this is because if you thought this was a good outing wait until his next couple of starts.

(AP Photo/Ed Zurga)