Boston starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka fires a pitch toward home plate in the first inning last night against the Rays.

AP / Mike Carlson

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Amid all of the home runs and runs scored, Daisuke Matsuzaka managed to make some history.

Matsuzaka allowed just one run over five innings and improved to 17-2 in becoming the first Japanese-born pitcher to win 17 games in a major-league season.

Hideo Nomo had held the previous mark, winning 16 games three different seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“The numbers alone might show that I’ve surpassed Nomo-san,” said Matsuzaka, “but I don’t think I’ve surpassed him as a pitcher.”

Matsuzaka added that setting a single-season record for wins by a Japanese pitcher was not a goal of his when he signed a six-year deal with the Red Sox in December 2006.

Given that he had a 4-0 lead before taking the mound, the toughest parts of last night’s game for Matsuzaka were the long waits between innings as Red Sox hitters ran up the score.

Record for Timlin, too

Veteran reliever Mike Timlin wrote himself into the record books with his appearance in the eighth inning last night.

Timlin set a mark for most career relief appearances –– 1,051 –– by a right-hander , passing Kent Tekulve.

Praise for Brewers’ Sveum

Red Sox manager Terry Francona and bench coach Brad Mills were thrilled that Dale Sveum is getting the chance to manage the Milwaukee Brewers for the final 12 games of the season.

Sveum was named interim manager of the Brewers yesterday after manager Ned Yost was fired following a four-game sweep by the Philadelphia Phillies. The Brewers had lost 11 of their last 14 games.

“I’m really happy for him,” said Francona of Sveum, who was the Red Sox third-base coach in Francona’s first two seasons in Boston. “When anybody gets let go, that’s never good. But Dale is one of my better friends in the game.”

Said Mills: “From what I understand, (the Milwaukee) players love him. He’s got the right personality. That might be just what that teams needs.”

Around the bases

The three-run homer by David Ortiz in the first inning last night was his 244th as a designated hitter, moving him past former Seattle Mariner great Edgar Martinez. Frank Thomas holds the all-time record for most homers by a DH with 269. … Shortstop Julio Lugo (quadriceps), who still holds out hope of returning to action before the season ends, had a good workout here, taking batting practice, fielding some ground balls and doing some running. Lugo estimated that he’s about 70-percent healthy. “He was pretty active,” said Francona. … Ominous stat of the night: the Sox are 3-15 in domed stadiums this season. They were 1-1 in Tokyo against Oakland; 0-3 with the roof closed in Toronto; 0-6 here at Tropicana Field; 1-3 in Minnesota; and 1-2 in Houston. … Jacoby Ellsbury went into last night without an error, covering 128 games and 313 chances. Only Torii Hunter of the Angels, had handled more chances (331) without an error. … Ellsbury is the club record-holder for most consecutive chances in a single season without an error, eclipsing the mark held by Johnny Damon (307) in 2002. Ellsbury, in fact, has yet to make an error in the big leagues over 161 games and 388 total chances.

smcadam@projo.com