Daisuke Matsuzaka Set to Rehab with Salem on Monday

Woodbridge, VA (April 22, 2012) - For the second straight homestand, the Salem Red Sox will feature a major league starter on the mound in the opener. After Rich Hill pitched for Salem last week, Daisuke Matsuzaka is scheduled to start Monday's series opener against Wilmington at LewisGale Field. The Japanese righthander has won 49 regular season games and three playoff games for Boston since coming to America in 2007 following an eight year career with the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Matsuzaka underwent successful surgery to reconstruct a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm on June 10, 2011 in Los Angeles. Monday will be his first start in an official game since the procedure. He made eight appearances (seven starts) for Boston in 2011, going 3-3 with a 5.30 ERA. In 2008, Matsuzaka enjoyed his finest major league season, going 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA, finishing with the best opponent batting average (.211) in the major leagues. In 2007, Matsuzaka became the first native of Japan to win a postseason game, earning the victories in game seven of the ALCS and in game three of the World Series against Colorado.

The Salem Sox arrive home after splitting a pair of games with the Potomac Nationals, with a 13-4 victory on Friday being the most recent ballgame for the Sox. Both Saturday and Sunday's scheduled games at Pfitzner Stadium were rained out.

Salem's week-long homestand begins with the Wilmington Blue Rocks arriving to town on Monday night, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05.