Two games does not a series make, but two wins goes a long way toward making one incredibly palatable.

That’s the opportunity the Sox face tonight, hosting the Angels for Game 2. Daisuke Matsuzaka makes his long-awaited playoff debut, with the Angels throwing the twice-unfortunately named Kelvim Escobar at Boston. That’s not all the Angels are throwing out there, either. Manager Mike Scoscia juggled his lineup, pushing Vlad Guerrerro back into the outfield to create room for another bat in the DH hole.

It’s Dice-K time, but will it be gut-check time in Boston?

While it might seem early for that kind of adjustment, this is the playoffs, and the Angels looked positively baffled against Josh Beckett Wednesday. On top of that, LA has never seen Matsuzaka, missing his turn in the rotation in both stints at Fenway and when the Sox hit the left coast in July.

It’s a seeming advantage for Dice-K, a point Scoscia has already made himself. But the bigger question in the matchup will revolve around the Japanese ace’s control. If Dice-K locates multiple pitches and throws first-pitch strikes, the Sox will likely be in good shape. If he doesn’t, it could get to be a long night at the Fens (see below).

Then again, the same can be said for Escobar, and getting to the front end of the Angels pen would definitely be an advantage for Boston. Will they get there? That’s very much to be determined. But if they can be patient and force Escobar into the zone, just as they did with Jon Lackey again Wednesday, they’ll be in very good shape.

Naturally, being in good shape tonight could decide what kind of shape the Sox come out of in the series. Or what shape they stay home in.

– Cameron Smith