Red Sox put Matsuzaka on the DL

Struggling Boston Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was put on the 15-day disabled list Sunday and could be sidelined much longer.

“This is not going to be a two-week DL,” Manager Terry Francona said. “We have to figure this out. We have a lot of work ahead of us to get him back to being Daisuke.”

In eight starts, Matsuzaka is 1-5 with an 8.23 earned-run average and an opponents’ batting average of .378. Last season, he was 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA and a major league-best .211 batting average by opponents.

He went on the disabled list because of a mild right shoulder strain after an MRI exam Saturday showed no structural damage. On Friday night, he gave up six runs in four-plus innings of an 8-2 loss to Atlanta.

Before putting Matsuzaka on the disabled list for the second time this season, the Red Sox already had scheduled John Smoltz to pitch in his spot Thursday at Washington. It would be the first major league outing of the season for Smoltz, who had six rehabilitation starts after off-season shoulder surgery.

The Red Sox recalled catcher Dusty Brown from triple-A Pawtucket to take Matsuzaka’s roster spot.

Ryan Howard was released from the hospital Sunday but did not play for the Philadelphia Phillies against Baltimore, ending his consecutive games streak at 343.

Howard was hospitalized Saturday for the second time in two nights with flu symptoms. The slugger was released Sunday but was not at the ballpark for Philadelphia’s 2-1 loss to the Orioles.

Howard had a CT scan and needed antibiotics. He might have a sinus infection, Phillies trainer Scott Sheridan said.

The 2006 National League most valuable player had played 343 straight games since May 25, 2007, the longest active streak in the majors.

Phillies closer Brad Lidge expects to be activated off the disabled list this week now that his right knee is close to full strength.

Lidge said he’d make at least one more rehab appearance, on Tuesday for Class-A Clearwater, then either be activated Wednesday, or if a third rehab appearance is needed, on Friday in Toronto.

New York Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett’s suspension for throwing high and tight to Texas’ Nelson Cruz has been reduced to five games from six.

Manager Joe Girardi said that the suspension began immediately and will push back the right-hander’s next start to Saturday against the New York Mets.

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Phelps wins again at Montreal meet

Michael Phelps swept both events he entered at the Canada Cup in Montreal, though he gave himself a split decision on his performance in his last two races leading up to next month’s U.S. nationals.

Phelps won the 100-meter freestyle Sunday in the pool that hosted the 1976 Olympics after posting a personal-best time there in winning Saturday’s 100-meter butterfly.

His time of 48.65 seconds in the 100 freestyle improved on the 48.87 he swam one week earlier, when he finished second to defending world champion Brent Hayden of Canada in Santa Clara, Calif.

The Kansas City Wizards and FC Atlas of Mexico played to a scoreless draw in the opening round of the SuperLiga tournament at St. Louis.

Atlas Coach Ricardo La Volpe was given a red-card ejection in the 41st minute for arguing with the referees. Kansas City midfielder Roger Espinoza was ejected in second-half stoppage time.