CLEVELAND (AP) – The $103 million man has been almost worthless for Boston in the playoffs.

Daisuke Matsuzaka failed for the second straight time to make it out of the fifth inning in the postseason. His bust of a start resulted in a 4-2 loss to Cleveland on Monday night that put the Red Sox down 2-1 in the AL championship series.

This isn’t what the Red Sox expected last offseason when they paid the Seibu Lions $51,111,111 for Dice-K’s rights and agreed to a $52 million, six-year contract.

Matsuzaka’s most important numbers these days are 0 and 6.75 – his postseason wins and ERA.

He allowed three runs over 4 2-3 innings in his postseason debut against the Los Angeles Angels, but Boston recovered to win 6-3 on its way to a sweep. In this one, he gave up four runs, six hits and two walks in 4 2-3 innings, strikeout out six.

Matsuzaka thrived on the world stage, but he’s flopped this October.

He pitched for Japan in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and was the MVP when Japan won the first World Baseball Classic in March 2006. His most impressive pressure performance may have been the 1998 Japanese high school title game when he pitched a no-hitter.

He faded with the Red Sox this year, finishing 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA. He struggled with his control, especially from the stretch.

Dice-K started strong against the Indians, retiring the side in order in the first on a groundout and two strikeouts. He even got Victor Martinez on a grounder to start the second and fanned Jhonny Peralta after Ryan Garko singled.

Then Kenny Lofton, a major leaguer when Matsuzaka was 11 years old, drove Dice-K’s first pitch into the right-field seats for a two-run homer. During the regular season. Matsuzaka allowed a team-high 25.

He did get out of a first-and-second jam in the third by striking out Victor Martinez. That began a stretch of five straight outs, three on strikeouts. But after fanning Trot Nixon, he wouldn’t retire another batter, allowing five straight to reach.

Asdrubal Cabrera and Travis Hafner hit RBI singles, and when Martinez slapped a single to left despite being caught off balance by a pitch, Boston manager Terry Francona had seen enough.

AP-ES-10-15-07 2252EDT