ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Boston Red Sox came to the land of cowbells and catwalks, of Ray-hawk hairdos and dancing bananas -- yes, there was a prancing piece of fruit on Tropicana Field's warning track at one point -- and showed the playoff neophytes from Tampa Bay a thing or two about October baseball.
Grizzled postseason veterans that they are, the Red Sox came up with the biggest pitches and hits and at-bats Friday night and dispatched the Rays, 2-0, in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, muffling a cowbell-clanging crowd of 35,001.
Boston right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, and the Rays, much like the Angels in their division series loss to the Red Sox, seemed to grip the bats a little too tight in pressure situations.
Tampa Bay, in its fifth playoff game and first-ever ALCS game, failed to score after putting runners on first and third with no outs in the seventh, as well as first and second with no outs in the eighth.
Jonathan Papelbon struck out two of three in the ninth for the save, setting a major league record with 20 2/3 career scoreless playoff innings, and the Red Sox, who went 1-8 at Tropicana Field this season, took the first game in the best-of-seven series.
"The playoffs are totally different than the regular season," Boston designated hitter David Ortiz said. "I saw some faces tonight that were different than I saw in the regular season. There's a lot of pressure because you know if you don't win, you go home.
"That relaxed feeling you have during the regular season is not there. . . . I'm not saying anyone was scared, but when it's your first time in the playoffs, you put a little pressure on yourself. I still feel the pressure."
Papelbon doesn't. The 27-year-old right-hander, who said he "loves" playoff pressure, has not given up a run in the postseason and was dominant again Friday night.
"This is what we do in the postseason," he said. "Our goal is to come here and win some games and take it back to Boston."
Matsuzaka seems unfazed. He walked the bases loaded with two outs in the first but got out of the jam, and he snuffed out the Rays after they put runners on first and third with no outs in the seventh.
"He pitches away from contact, and he has a knack for getting the double play when he needs it," left fielder Jason Bay said of Matsuzaka. "He has, like, 12 different pitches. You never know what's coming."
