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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BALTIMORE (AP) -- An extra day of rest did absolutely nothing to hinder the effectiveness of the remarkable Pedro Martinez.
|  | | Pedro Martinez allowed just two baserunners on fifth-inning singles. |
Truth is, the right-hander has rarely been sharper than he was Friday night.
A well-rested Martinez marked his return from a five-game suspension by pitching a two-hitter and striking out 15 as the Boston Red Sox beat the slumping Baltimore Orioles 9-0.
Pitching for the first time since May 6, Martinez (6-1) allowed only two baserunners. He retired the first 12 batters before Albert Belle led off the fifth inning with an opposite-field single. After Jeff Conine hit a one-out single, Martinez recorded 14 straight outs.
"That was the best display of pitching I've ever been a part of," Boston catcher Jason Varitek said.
The 1999 Cy Young winner was suspended for hitting Cleveland's Roberto Alomar with a pitch on April 30. Martinez struck out 17 in a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay on May 6, then dropped his appeal of the suspension and served the time.
"Gee, I'm sure glad he got suspended," deadpanned Baltimore manager Mike Hargrove.
Asked if he wanted to make a statement to Frank Robinson, who levied the suspension, Martinez replied, "I don't have anything to prove to him. He understands the way I am and he understands about baseball. ... I'm just here to pitch, do my job and go home and be happy."
Martinez returned in top form, going to 2-0 on only two batters in lowering his ERA to 1.01. The 32 strikeouts over two games tied the AL record set in 1968 by Cleveland's Luis Tiant.
"If he pitches like this all year, he'll win 30 games. That's as dominating as I've ever seen him," Hargrove said. "He's obviously the best in baseball today, and pitched like it tonight."
It was Martinez's first shutout of the year and 12th of his career. He has struck out at least 10 batters five times this season and has done it 59 times lifetime.
"That was a very special performance tonight. It just doesn't get any better, I don't think," Boston manager Jimy Williams said.
Mike Bordick and Greg Myers struck out three times, and every Baltimore starter fanned at least once. It was the first shutout loss of the season for the Orioles, who have dropped five straight
and nine of 10.
Martinez went out with a bang, striking out six of the final seven hitters. He struck out the side in the eighth, ending the inning with a 97 mph fastball that disposed of Mark Lewis.
"He was throwing just as hard at the end as he was at the beginning. He never lost anything," Lewis said.
In fact, Martinez said he got better as the game went on.
"I normally seem to get a second wind after the fifth inning. I felt better, actually, after the fifth inning," he said. "I felt stronger."
By the end of the game, even the Baltimore fans were cheering Martinez.
"Not only are they rooting for their team, but they're rooting for the good things that happen in baseball and they recognize it and clap for it," he said. "It's really nice to see that. I can tell now that this is a baseball town."
Jose Offerman and Brian Daubach provided more than enough offense for Martinez -- Offerman went 4-for-5 with a homer and two RBI, and Daubach had a homer and four RBI.
The Red Sox wasted no time taking the lead against Sidney Ponson (2-2). Offerman led off with a single, Darren Lewis singled and Trot Nixon followed with an RBI single. Daubach then drove in a run with a groundout.
Offerman singled in a run in the second and made it 4-0 with his third homer of the season in the fifth. Mike Stanley, who earlier ended an 0-for-18 streak, hit an RBI single in the eighth.
Daubach's three-run homer highlighted a four-run ninth against Calvin Maduro.
Game notes
Martinez has not lost consecutive games since 1998. He has
won 12 of his last 14 starts. ... Belle was 0-for-13 with seven
strikeouts against Martinez before his hit. ... The Red Sox placed
SS Nomar Garciaparra (hamstring) on the 15-day DL and recalled SS
Donnie Sadler from Triple-A Pawtucket. Sadler went 0-for-4. ... OF
Carl Everett was held out of the starting lineup with a strained
hamstring. ... Baltimore 3B Cal Ripken is bothered by a sore back
and did not play.
Pedro Martinez Game
Log
DATE
Apr. 4
Apr. 9
Apr. 15
Apr.
25
Apr. 30
May 3
May 6
May 12
|
OPP
@Sea
@Ana
Oak
@Tex
@Cle
Tam
@Bal
|
IP
7.0
7.1
7.0
7.0
7.0
;
9.0
9.0
|
H
2
5
5
5
5
6
2
|
R
0
1
2
3
0
1
0
|
ER
0
1
2
2
0
1
0
|
HR
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
|
BB
2
1
1
1
3
1
0
|
SO
11
12
9
8
10
17
15
|
DEC
W
W
W
W
W
L
W
|
ERA
0.00
0.63
1.27
1.59
1.27
1.22
1.01
|
Totals |
|
IP
53.1 |
H
30 |
R
7 |
ER
6 |
HR
2 |
BB
9 |
SO
82 |
W -
L
6 - 1 |
ERA
1.01 |
|
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Boston Clubhouse
Baltimore Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 9
Baltimore 0
Cleveland 7
Kansas City 3
Detroit 9
NY Yankees 7
Tampa Bay 4
Toronto 3
Minnesota 4
Chi. White Sox 3
Texas 13
Anaheim 11
Oakland 9
Seattle 7
Montreal 8
Chicago Cubs 3
Atlanta 8
Philadelphia 7
Milwaukee 6
Pittsburgh 1
Florida 6
NY Mets 4
Cincinnati 7
Houston 3
Los Angeles 13
St. Louis 0
Colorado 15
San Francisco 7
Arizona 6
San Diego 4
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Pedro Martinez praises the Baltimore fans.
wav: 182 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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