Denver ? The Boston Red Sox knew they were getting a big-game pitcher when they paid $103 million to lure Daisuke Matsuzaka from Japan.

They got a big-game hitter thrown in for free.

Matsuzaka pitched three-hit ball into the sixth inning in Game 3 Saturday night, plus helped himself out with a two-run single as the Red Sox beat Colorado, 10-5, and moved within one victory of another World Series sweep.

The win marked the longest and strongest of his four starts this postseason, in which he has struggled to make it past the fifth inning.

Matsuzaka, who went 0-for-4 in interleague play, pulled his biggest surprise by getting his first big-league hit and RBI. It came in Boston’s six-run third inning and gave him a big cushion to work with.

Matsuzaka struck out five, leaving with a 6-0 lead after walking consecutive batters with one out in the sixth. Reliever Javier Lopez gave up consecutive singles to allow both inherited base-runners to score.

Earlier, Matsuzaka made a nice play with his glove. He fielded Matt Holliday’s chopper in the first inning, turned around and got former Japanese teammate Kaz Matsui in a rundown.

A star in Japan who threw 250 pitches to win a 17-inning high school game and the MVP of the inaugural World Baseball Classic, Matsuzaka came to Boston after the Red Sox paid $51.11 million for the right to talk to him and another $52 million to sign him for six years.

He dined with team officials during the courtship at Red Sox owner Tom Werner’s house, where he caught a glimpse of the replica 2004 World Series trophy that came after a sweep of St. Louis.

“I felt that it was very beautiful, and I was very moved,” Matsuzaka said through a translator before his start.