BoSox Snap 9-Loss Seattle Streak, 4-3

After nine straight losses in the Mariners' Safeco Field, the league-leading Red Sox finally broke through with a narrow 4-3 decision; vaunted rookie Daisuke Matsuzaka spent most of the night pitching out of trouble but yielded only two solo shots in seven frames. It was his first win against Seattle and Ichiro Suzuki, the hitter he says he esteems most.

Explained Matsuzaka: "When I'm facing Ichiro, of all the batters out there, he's the one I psych myself up most to face, and definitely don't want him to get a hit off me." Boston's celebrated bullpen, however, looked mortal, with Eric Gagne allowing three two-out hits in the eighth and fresh-faced heartthrob Jonathan Papelbon walking two. (More MLB stories.)