ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Hard-throwing rookie reliever Justin Masterson certainly had an important role in his first taste of playoff baseball.

When he relieved Jon Lester to start the eight inning, the Red Sox were clinging to a 2-1 lead and the Angel crowd was sensing a comeback with the heart of their order due up. The large video scoreboard in right field was playing a Rally Monkey video that regularly whips the fans into a frenzy. With Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon warming up in the bullpen just in case he faltered, Masterson let up two hits, but a spectacular diving catch by Jacoby Ellsbury and a heads-up throw by Kevin Youkilis from right field to third base kept the Red Sox in control.

``Some guys made some great plays to get us out of that inning," said the 23-year old Masterson. ``When you get to the postseason, it's the little things that get the job done."

Masterson was asked what he was thinking when he walked in from the bullpen with Mark Teixeira, Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter due up. ``You try not to think," he said. "You just have to come in and do the job. You have to pitch like it's the regular season."

-KEVIN McNAMARA