Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox, May 7, 2002 v. Oakland Athletics

pedro martinez
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Pedro Goes 4.1 Innings Against Patient Oakland — Says He Felt Great Despite Lackluster Results Boston (22-7) Rallies Against A’s Pen to Maintain 5-Game Lead In AL East

Tuesday, May 7, 2002
Boston Red Sox at Oakland Athletics
Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California

Pedro’s Line

Box Score and play-by-play

Red Sox rally to beat Oakland — Win is Boston’s seventh straight and 16th of 19
John Schlegel, mlb.com

Even after the A’s took Pedro Martinez out of the equation, the Red Sox still found a way to win Tuesday night. Oakland knocked the Boston ace out of the game in the fifth inning, but Boston tied the game their next time up and then put it away with a four-run rally in the eighth for a 9-7 victory over the A’s before a bipartisan gathering of 19,715 at Network Associates Coliseum.

Martinez pleased with short outing
Ian Browne, mlb.com

The pitching line (4.1 innings, 7 hits, 5 runs) would indicate that this was a bad night for Sox ace Pedro Martinez. However, stat lines can be misleading. Only one of the runs Martinez allowed was earned, as he was victimized by a pair of Hillenbrand errors in the four-run fifth.

“I felt pretty good,” said Martinez, who gave up a two-run homer to Eric Chavez. “This is probably the best I’ve felt. I feel like my strength is coming back. I felt I actually had a good game even though the results didn’t show it.”

“You look at the gun, and he’s still throwing 94,” said Chavez. “He’s got good difference of speed with his pitches. I always say if Pedro doesn’t want to let you hit, you’re not going to hit. I really felt at times he’s going to bear down on you, and if he bears down on you you’ve got no chance to hit him.

He’s not Martinez of old on this night
Marcos Breton, Sacramento Bee

There are some athletes who’ll make you drop everything and drive 100 miles out of your way to see them. Pedro Martinez is one of those special people. And that’s what I did Tuesday — I drove to Oakland to see if Martinez could recapture his old brilliance, to see if the magical right-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox was still great, to see if he could still make hitters flail and buckle at the knees.

One short night for ace Martinez
Steve Buckley, Boston Herald

It was a night of clutch hitting, woeful errors and interminable pitching changes. And Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez, earning a no-decision in the Red Sox’ 3-hour, 43-minute, 9-7 victory over the Oakland A’s last night at Network Associates Coliseum, missed most of it. Martinez lasted just 4 innings against the A’s … 

But fear not, Red Sox fans. “I feel my strength is coming back,” Martinez said after his 103-pitch effort. “Even though the result didn’t show it, I felt I pitched well.” … The Sox ace took a commercial flight to the Bay Area earlier in the day, and was, one assumes, well-rested for last night. “But I don’t feel I had much of an edge. I didn’t feel comfortable (with the time changes.) I had to take two planes. And I was a random check, by the way.”

Sox keep focus — Weary team extends winning streak
Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

The big hit in the winning rally, which began with a walk to Jose Offerman, was delivered by Nomar Garciaparra, who rifled his second double and third hit of the game, one pitch after fouling off a surprise bunt attempt. After Manny Ramirez was walked intentionally, and the A’s drew in the infield, shortstop Miguel Tejeda grabbed Brian Daubach’s chopper up the middle and made a spectacular spin throw to the plate. But the ball clanked off the glove of catcher Ramon Hernandez as Offerman scored the go-ahead run. An another infield out made it 7-5, and Nixon broke it open with his third hit.

Sox get A’s on test: Start key stretch with 9-7 victory in Oakland
Michael Silverman, Boston Herald

The plot was unpolished and obviously written on the fly but the Red Sox opened the West Coast chapter of their road trip with the same old story: another victory. The 9-7 win over the A’s was the Sox’ seventh straight and improved their major league-best record to 22-7. They are now 14-2 on the road as they successfully began a key six-game trip to Oakland and Seattle.

Sox hold off A’s to win, 9-7
Sean McAdam, Providence Journal

After five weeks of being coddled by the American League schedule-maker, the Red Sox knew they would have to improve their play as their opponents improved. But matched against a team with a winning record for the first time since Patriot’s Day, the Sox first had to overcome their own sloppy play. … Artistic, it wasn’t. But it wasn’t without merit. The Red Sox were fighting fatigue — they arrived in the Bay Area at 6 a.m. Eastern time — and the stunning news that two of their players had been suspended for an incident they considered complete.

A’s fall to red-hot Sox — Boston’s seventh straight victory improves majors’ best record
Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle

The Red Sox got into town early Tuesday morning after a night game at Tampa Bay and a cross-country flight, but the unfriendly schedule wasn’t enough to counteract the big head of steam Boston has built. Fresh off bulldozing the Devil Rays for four games, baseball’s hottest team shrugged off three errors and four unearned Oakland runs to down the A’s 9-7 at Network Associates Coliseum. It was the Red Sox’s seventh win in a row, and they improved their major-league-best record to 22-7.

Nixon (4 RBI) The One — Gets Trip Started Right
David Heuschkel, Hartford Courant

Trot Nixon had three hits and drove in four runs as the Red Sox extended their winning streak to seven … Red Sox principal owner John Henry, who made the trip, enjoyed this 3-hour, 43-minute marathon. He even kept score in the press box. …

Martinez allowed five runs – one earned – and seven hits in 4.1 innings before he was lifted after throwing 103 pitches (65 strikes). It was the fourth time in seven starts he did not make it past the sixth. He pitched at least six in all but four of his 18 starts last season. … It was 5:30 a.m. in Boston when the Red Sox, who played the previous night in St. Petersburg, arrived at their hotel in the Bay Area. Martinez was probably asleep, having flown out earlier in the day. … It was the first time Martinez allowed three consecutive hits since Opening Day.

A’s drop ball, lose to Red Sox — Hernandez’s error fuels a four-run eighth inning for Boston
Jay Heater, Contra Costa Times

It was a slice of defensive brilliance, the kind of play that rallies the home crowd, stops a visiting team in its tracks and spurs the opponent to an impressive victory. But after A’s shortstop Miguel Tejada cut off Brian Daubach’s bouncer up the middle with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of a tie game, after his pirouette and perfect throw to the plate, Oakland catcher Ramon Hernandez forgot to squeeze. Out plopped the ball, leading to a four-run rally and a 9-7 Red Sox victory on Tuesday night at Network Associates Coliseum.

No relief in sight: A’s blow one to Red Sox
Gregg Bell, Sacramento Bee

Like all teams in this era of specialized relief pitching when six innings is considered a “quality start,” the A’s have come to rely on their bullpen. They have shaped, even sacrificed, their roster to accommodate seven relievers — one more than is customary. So where are their bulls? The busts of the A’s early season returned Tuesday night to the Coliseum after a one-game hiatus in an ugly, exasperating 9-7 loss to the surprise of the American League, the Boston Red Sox.

A’s KO Pedro, still lose — Miscues help Red Sox win series opener
Tony Kuttner, Oakland Tribune

Boston beat Oakland 9-7 on Tuesday night, which is not so unusual considering the Red Sox, winners of seven straight, have the best record in baseball. It’s how Boston beat Oakland that’s weird. Finding the most bizarre experience at the Coliseum wasn’t an easy task. It could have been Boston ace Pedro Martinez getting chased early from the Coliseum mound, where he had been 4-0 with a 0.96 ERA in four career starts. … It could have been A’s third baseman Eric Chavez getting a hit or two. Chavez snapped the worst hitless streak career — 0-for-23 — in convincing fashion by taking Martinez deep.

A’s trump ace, then stumble
Ron Bergman, San Jose Mercury

So many things done right Tuesday night by the A’s. So many things done wrong. Despite knocking nemesis Pedro Martinez out of the box. Despite Eric Chavez breaking out of the longest slump of his career. Despite one of the greatest defensive plays of the season. Despite all of these wonderful feats, the A’s lost 9-7 to the streaking Boston Red Sox before an announced crowd of 19,715 at Network Associates Coliseum that sounded much like Fenway Park.

Pre-Game

Nixon lets a few barbs slip Abernathy’s way
Bob Hohler, Boston Globe

Pedro Martinez flew out yesterday ahead of the team to avoid the overnight grind. Martinez is expected to be nearly fully recovered from the flulike symptoms that hampered him in his last start.

Red Sox Notes
Steven Krasner, Providence Journal

Pedro Martinez, who flew to San Francisco early yesterday afternoon so he would be as rested as possible, will start tonight. The sinus problem that affected him in his last start seemed to have cleared up, Little said.

Sox finally draw real test out West
Tony Massarotti, Boston Herald

For more than a month, they have had their way with the weaklings and invalids of the bipolar American League. Now the Red Sox go west to finally pick on someone their own size. Time to tussle with the big boys. … Over the next three weeks, the Sox will play 19 consecutive games against the Oakland A’s (six times), Seattle Mariners (six), Chicago White Sox (three) and New York Yankees (four). The Sox will have the luxury of playing the final 13 games in that sequence at home, but not before the six-game stretch to Oakland and Seattle that begins tonight with ace Pedro Martinez on the mound …

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