Tazawa Grabs First ML Win; Wakefield Will Make AAA Rehab Start on Friday

Junichi Tazawa has had two eventful games to begin his major league career:

As soon as I signed with the Red Sox, I was thinking about the day that I pitch here. It is really a nice ballpark, and I was very excited about it. ... I didn't expect to be in the major leagues so quickly. ... Trainer Masai Takahashi warned me that Papelbon may throw the ball [into the stands], so I was kind of on the look out for it, but didn't know how to get it. Brad Penny gave me the ball and I have no idea how he ended up with it, but I am just glad that I have it.

Terry Francona:

Under the circumstances, I thought he was exceptional. I thought he showed exceptional poise. There were a lot of things that happened out there and he stayed out there for five.

Tazawa -- 5-4-3-2-6, 98 (1 ER) -- retired 10 of the last 11 hitters he faced. He also said he had never been involved in a brawl before. He is the fifth player to make his major league debut with Boston this season.

Kevin Youkilis:

If I was an ultimate fighter I think I would have had a plan. But I didn't plan for that to happen. ... A lot of times guys pitch inside. There's times I get hit, but I think the last two days are different. I think there's intent there to hit.

Yook:

Two days in a row, and the way it was going, I had enough of it. At some point, you have to protect yourself as a hitter and your teammates. I felt like I had to do what I had to do.

John Farrell:

First and foremost, we threw a couple of fastballs up and in to Miguel the last couple of nights. There's a reason why he wears an arm pad. There's a hole up and in there that many pitchers try to exploit. ... The pitch tonight, if you looked at the replay, that was actually between home plate and the batter's box. Yes, it was elevated. But it wasn't like it was thrown at him. It was execution of a pitch. He's on top of the plate ... We have to pitch accordingly to that.

Victor Martinez:

That pitch, did you see that pitch? It was right at his back. That pitch looked like it had some bad intentions.

Jason Bay:

Everybody has a breaking point. And I don't blame him.

Mike Lowell:

If I was Youk, I don't think I would have been too happy getting smoked two days in a row.

Lowell became the first Red Sox player to come off the bench and hit two dongs since Joe Foy on June 9, 1967.

Tim Wakefield will start for Pawtucket on Saturday. It will be the first minor league rehab start of his career.

I think I'm ready to pitch now, but if I go out there and something happens, it screws with the whole team. I don't think it would be a smart thing to do.

George Kottaras will begin his rehab on the same day. ... Tests on Jed Lowrie's left wrist showed only a mild nerve irritation. ... Hideki Okajima has a stiff neck. ... The Rangers and Cardinals have shown interest in John Smoltz.

Daisuke Matsuzaka threw a 40-pitch bullpen session (all fastballs) yesterday in Fort Myers. He will throw all of his pitches in his next two sessions: 55 in three days and 65 three days after that.