Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, delivering a third-inning pitch against the Mariners last night, was masterful for seven innings.

AP / Elaine Thompson

SEATTLE -- For whatever else has ailed them of late, the Red Sox at least have been getting their starters to take them deep into games.

In the first four games after the All-Star break, Red Sox starters pitched into the eighth three times. Last night, Daisuke Matsuzaka continued the trend, going 7 1/3 innings before tiring and limiting the number of outs the bullpen needed to record.

Together, the tag-team of Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon nailed down the rest, helping the Sox to their second straight road win, a 4-2 triumph over the Seattle Mariners.

``When your starters get you that deep,'' said Terry Francona, `` it certainly helps. Then, you're going to [relief] guys in the eighth instead of the sixth. If the starters can take us deep like that on a consistent basis, we're going to be fine.''

Matsuzaka improved to 11-1 and lowered his E.R.A. for the season to 2.63. He shut out the feeble Mariners for seven innings, extending the Sox' scoreless streak to 16, before running into trouble in the eighth.

He walked just three and allowed only five hits. More to the point, he got 22 outs on 99 pitches, after needing 115 pitches to get 18 outs in his previous start, which came 10 days ago.

``He threw his fastball aggressively and [added] some good sliders,'' said Francona, ``and he worked ahead in the count.''

It helped that the Mariners are an aggressive team, unwilling to take pitches and work the count.

``He was able to work ahead,'' said catcher Jason Varitek, ``and used a good mix of all his pitches.''

Matsuzaka seemed displeased when lifted by Francona in the eighth after yielding a run-scoring double to fellow countryman Ichiro and an RBI single to Jose Lopez. That snapped a string of 24 1/3 scoreless innings for Matsuzaka, the fourth-longest string in the majors this season.

``If I couldn't throw a complete game today,'' Matsuzaka said, ``I don't know when I'll be able to do it.''

Asked if he was displeased or surprised at being yanked then, Matsuzaka retreated a bit.

``Of course, I wanted to stay out there,'' he said, ``but given that situation, there was nothing I could do.''

There was plenty for Okajima to do, however, and he did it well -- for a change. Abysmal with inherited runners all season -- 12 of 17 had scored before last night -- he came on with Lopez on first and one out.

Raul Ibanez hit into a force play, as Kevin Youkilis erased Lopez at second, then Okajima retired Jose Vidro on a long flyout to center, preserving the lead. It marked Okajima's seventh straight scoreless appearance, covering 5 1/3 innings.

``If he doesn't get out of that,'' said Francona, ``we're probably still playing. He made good pitches.''

Okajima credited his curveball for his recent rejuvenation.

``It's been my winning pitch lately,'' said the lefty. ``Everyone has been sitting on my split -- they know it and [Varitek] knows it. So I've been relying more on my curve.''

Papelbon retired the M's in order to become the first Red Sox closer to record three 30-save seasons.

It helped Matsuzaka that the Sox provided him with a lead even before he took the mound.

J.D. Drew drilled a fastball from knuckleballer R.A. Dickey into the first row of the right-field seats to provide a 1-0 edge just three batters in.

It was Drew's second homer in two career at-bats off Dickey.

``Facing a knuckleballer,'' said Drew, ``you just grind out at-bats. I was able to get a fastball on 3-and-2 and hit it out, so it worked out.''

Drew entered the night just 1 for 15 in the four games since the All-Star break.

``I haven't gotten many hits,'' he said, ``but I could have easily had six or seven. I had some good at-bats in Anaheim, but hit balls right at people.''

The Sox opened up the game in the fifth off Dickey, the only other knuckleballer in the big leagues other than the Sox' own Tim Wakefield.

Drew doubled the lead to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. Mike Lowell's double and Jed Lowrie's sacrifice fly closed out the scoring.

``The way we're pitching,'' said Drew, ``the offense just had to score a few runs. We did what we had to do.''

smcadam@projo.com