Daisuke Matsuzaka was effectively wild for the Boston Red Sox today as they took advantage of Daniel Cabrera’s wildness in a 2-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles in front of 37,344 at Fenway Park. The win coupled with Tampa Bay’s loss to the Indians this afternoon moved the Red Sox back in first place by a ½ game going into the All-Star break.

In his last outing, Matsuzaka did a good job of attacking the strike zone. Today, he nibbled and struggled with his command. He went 6 innings giving up 4 hits and 5 walks while striking out 7. Hideki Okajima struggled in 2/3 of an inning walking 2 while striking out 1. Manny Delcarmen was great out of the bullpen striking out 2 in 1 1/3 innings. Jonathan Papelbon worked the 9th allowing a run on 3 hits and 1 but still picked up his 100th career save.

Dustin Pedroia and Sean Casey led the Red Sox offense with 2 hits each with Pedroia getting an RBI. J.D. Drew had the other RBI for the Sox as he went 1-for-3. The Red Sox were the recipients of 7 walks by Orioles pitching, six of them by Cabrera.

Kevin Youkilis was hit by a pitch in the 5th inning and left the game at the end of the inning. X-rays were negative and was listed as day-to-day with a left triceps contusion. He should be fine for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night.

The local nine got on the scoreboard in the 1st inning when Pedroia reached on 1-out infield single. He ended up at second when Freddie Bynum’s throw ended up in the photographer’s well. Drew brought in Pedroia with a double to put the Sox up 1-0. Cabrera then walked Manny but got the last two outs of the inning when Mike Lowell flew out and Drew, who misread the ball, was doubled off at second.

The only 1-2-3 inning Matsuzaka had was in the 4th inning. In the 3 previous innings, he gave up 3 hits and 2 walks but was able to wiggle out of trouble each time.

The not so fleet-of-foot Casey led off the bottom of the 4th with a double. He was barely safe and replays showed he may have been out but nonetheless it was a double. Cabrera then walked Jason Varitek and Alex Cora moved Casey and the Captain up 90 feet with a sacrifice bunt. After a walk to Jacoby Ellsbury, Pedroia grounded into a sure-fire double play but Bynum bobbled it and only could get Ellsbury at second as Casey came in to score on the fielder’s choice to make it 2-0. Drew then worked a walk but Cabrera got Manny Ramirez to ground out to second to escape without any further damage being done.

Matsuzaka did his best Harry Houdini impression in the 5th inning. After Bynum flew out to center, he walked Brian Roberts, hit Adam Jones with a pitch and walked Nick Markakis. The magic act began when he struck out Aubrey Huff and made a great stop on shot up the middle to get Melvin Mora at first.

Okajima took over in the 7th for Dice-K and started the inning by getting Roberts to ground out. He then issued back-to-back walks to Jones and Markakis before striking out Huff swinging. MDC came in for Okie and got Mora to ground out to end the inning.

Papelbon gave the Red Sox faithful a scare in the 9th inning though before picking up the save.

He got off to a good start when he got pinch-hitter Kevin Millar to pop out on a great running catch by Cora. He then gave up singles to Roberts and Jones before striking out Markakis on a 3-2 fastball that was probably ball 4. Huff made it 2-1 Orioles as his single easily scored Roberts from second. The game ended as Pedroia made a great catch on Mora soft liner.

The Red Sox now head into the All-Star break on a positive note and more importantly, they sit on top of the AL East. They will return to action on Friday night when they head to the left coast for the final time of the season to take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Seattle Mariners. Clay Buchholz will start on Friday night and will be opposed by John Lackey.

Notes and musings:

Orioles @ Red Sox 7.13.08 boxscore

This will be the 11th straight season that the Red Sox have had a winning record at the All-Star break.

The Red Sox have won 6 of 7, 7 of 9, and 26 of 33 home games, the longer streak beginning April 29, and is 33-9 here starting April 12.

Dustin Pedroia has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games and is hitting .439 (50-114) with 5 homers, 11 doubles, 17 RBI and 27 runs in the last 26 games to go from .260 to .312, 10th in the A.L.

J.D. Drew and Manny Ramirez went deep back-to-back in the 1st inning on Saturday, the major-league leading 10th time the Red Sox have hit consecutive homers in an inning this season.

Ramirez has 5 homers in his last 8 games versus Baltimore.

OF Jeff Bailey, OF Chris Carter, 2B Joe Thurston, OF Jonathan Van Every, and RHP Charlie Zink will represent Pawtucket in the Triple-A All-Star Game on Wednesday in Louisville. OF Bubba Bell, RHP Michael Bowden (INJ), OF Jeff Corsaletti, OF Zach Daeges, and RHP Beau Vaughan of Portland will participate in Wednesday’s Eastern League All-Star Game in Manchester, NH.

With the Red Sox not returning to action until Friday night, NESN will be showing the Portland Sea Dogs game against the Trenton Thunder on the 17th at 7:00 PM.

NESN will also have a Manny-thon on Friday from 1 PM to 9 PM, showing 4 2-hour games of your favorite Manny moments.

Pedroia now has 38 multi-hit games this season.