HOUSTON – Last weekend, when Daisuke Matsuzaka was shelled for seven runs and failed to get a single out in the second inning, the Red Sox maintained they weren’t concerned.

The Sox preached patience, claiming Matsuzaka’s poor start was merely the result of some mound rust after a three-week stay on the disabled list, and not, as some feared, a sign of lingering shoulder issues.

Last night, they were proven correct as Matsuzaka tossed five shutout innings, during which he allowed just two hits, in leading the Sox to a 6-1 win over the Houston Astros.

"The ball came out of his hand real good, nice and crisp," said Terry Francona.

"Much better," said catcher Jason Varitek, comparing this start to Matsuzaka's last. "He had a good feel through the zone with his fastball and his breaking stuff. It was nice to have the same guy back."

Matsuzaka left after five innings as the Sox want to be careful to slowly rebuild his arm strength. Of his 87 pitches, he threw 54 strikes. He walked three, two in his final inning when two walks and a single by Houston catcher Humberto Quintero loaded the bases.

He managed to leave them full when he got David Newhan to pop to short, but by then, he was "gassed," according to Varitek.

Matsuzaka struck out the side in the first, with each strikeout swinging, and through the first four innings had allowed just two Astros to reach against him. He improved to 9-1 and is a strong candidate to be selected for the upcoming All-Star Game in New York on July 15.

Matsuzaka got the only offensive support he would need in the third when, with Coco Crisp (walk) and Dustin Pedroia (double) on base, J.D. Drew hammered his 11th homer this month, a deep belt to right.

The 11 homers match Drew’s total for all of last season, his first season with the Sox. Moreover, the 11 homers are tied for the third-most during the month in Red Sox history and the most in June since 1979. Jackie Jensen holds the franchise mark with 14 in June of 1958.

Drew, who will surely be named American League Player of the Month, came into last night leading all major-league hitters in homers, total bases, extra-base hits and slugging percentage. He drove a slider from Astros starter Runelvys Hernandez out for his 15th homer of the season.

"It’s been a nice month," said Drew. "I’ll just try to transition into the rest of the season when it’s over."

Drew sat Wednesday night against Arizona lefty Randy Johnson and said the two consecutive days off were helpful.

"That was huge," he said. "I was hanging in a little bit and I think Tito knew that. I was able to regroup a little bit and come back and keep things nice and simple."

The homer continued a pattern from last season, when Drew seemed to enjoy his best games in National League settings. He spent his entire major league career in the N.L. before signing with the Red Sox.

"I didn’t realize that," said Drew. "Maybe it’s some familiarity with the ballpark and I’m kind of comfortable in the environment."

Until the seventh, Drew’s blast was all the Red Sox had to show for themselves on the scoreboard.

Then Pedroia (three hits) singled to center with two out, scoring Julio Lugo with the fourth run. The Sox added two more in the ninth on a bases-loaded single from Mike Lowell

With Matsuzaka out after the fifth, the Sox needed four innings from their bullpen and got quality ones – for the most part.

Craig Hansen pitched a scoreless sixth and when Manny Delcarmen followed with a perfect inning of his own in the seventh, the Sox seemed on their way to their second straight shutout and ninth of the season.

But after Hideki Okajima recorded the first two outs of the eighth on flyouts, he gave up a mammoth homer to Reggie Abercrombie, followed with a hard line single off the wall for Miguel Tejada. The run ended the Boston’s bullpen string of 12 straight scoreless frames and represented the first run scored against the Sox pitching staff in 22 innings.

Francona said Okajima was having difficulty "finishing" his split-finger fastballs.

Jonathan Papelbon came on to strike out Lance Berkman with the potential tying run on deck and recorded his 24th save of the season.