Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox, May 18, 2002 v. Seattle Mariners

pedro martinez
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Saturday, May 18, 2002
Seattle Mariners at Boston Red Sox
Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

Pedro’s Line

Box Score and play-by-play

Neither rain nor snow nor heat nor gloom of night…
Ian Browne. mlb.com

It was dreary, raw, windy, cold and downright miserable when Pedro Martinez finally took the mound Saturday afternoon. This, following a rain delay of just over two hours. You know it’s a depressing day when the buzz and anticipation that is usually prevalent whenever Martinez pitches at Fenway was absent. Let’s face it, it wasn’t a great day to spend at the ballpark. Not for players or fans. So this time, Boston’s ace pitcher created the atmosphere. He created the buzz. He made it electric.

Pedro the perfect prescription — Shuts down Seattle to stop short losing streak
Ian Browne, mlb.com

There aren’t too many better remedies for a losing streak than Pedro Martinez on the mound. And for the second time in as many starts, the ace of the Boston Red Sox prevented his team from its first three-game losing streak of the season. Following a two-hour rain delay, Martinez mowed down the Seattle Mariners 4-1 to improve to 6-0 on the season.

Martinez uses hesitation pitch — Rain only delays dominance
Bob Hohler, Boston Globe

The Mariners know how to win and score runs (they lead the league with 6.04 a game). The thing is, they just can’t beat Martinez, who has rolled up an 0.94 ERA against them since they first experienced the misfortune of facing him four years ago. In the aftermath, Seattle manager Lou Piniella issued the understatement of the day about his club’s history against Martinez: ”We’re due.”

Pedro pours it on, leaves M’s all wet: Red Sox ace stays perfect against Seattle
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald

The Seattle Mariners never knew how close they were to escaping the peril that accompanies facing Pedro Martinez yesterday afternoon. As menacing, gray clouds hovered just above the light towers and shrouded wintry Fenway Park like giant, saturated sponges, Martinez headed to the mound following a 125-minute delay knowing that the first sign of renewed precipitation would signal the end of his outing.

With the temperature at 41 and expected to drop, and the outfield resembling a rice patty following a torrential morning downpour, the last thing the Red Sox were going to do was risk losing the franchise on a rain-slicked mound. “I don’t recall one day pitching in worse conditions than this,” Martinez said.

Two cures for Mariners
Mike Bauman, mlb.com

There are only two known antidotes for the Seattle Mariners. One is the New York Yankees in the postseason. The other can be described in two words: Pedro Martinez. … Martinez waited more than two hours through a rain delay, then came out into the windy, 41-degree day and struck out the side on nine pitches in the first inning. Then he retired the side on four pitches in the second. … “Listen, the guy can pitch, whether it was in the Mojave Desert or in an igloo in Alaska,” said Mariners Manager Lou Piniella. “What the hell’s the difference?”

Martinez reigns over Mariners on dismal day
Sean McAdam, Providence Journal

The conditions — miserable, raw and soggy — were the same for both teams yesterday at Fenway Park. Each had to contend with an outfield that, despite the best efforts of the grounds crew, closely resembled a swamp. Each had to fend off temperatures that began in the low 40s and dropped to near-freezing by the game’s conclusion. But only the Seattle Mariners had to face Pedro Martinez. They probably would have preferred 40 days and nights of rain rather than one more matchup with the Red Sox ace.

Beating goes on for Mariners — They’re perfectly awful vs. Martinez
Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

He could beat them in a car wash. He could beat them in a submarine. He could beat them at 3 a.m. He could beat them at high noon. He could beat them in a bathrobe. He could beat them in a tuxedo. He could beat them on the Fourth of July. He could beat them on Christmas. … He could beat them at 30 years old. Who knows? He could probably still beat them when he’s 80. .. Martinez has thrown a total of 77 innings against the Mariners. They have 37 hits against him, including six yesterday. They have struck out 110 times against him … Seven times, he’s whiffed 11 or more. They’ve scored two runs against him twice, one run in four other starts (and one in his relief stint), zeroes three other times. His ERA against them: 0.94.

Pedro pours it on, leaves M’s all wet: Red Sox ace stays perfect against Seattle
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald

The Seattle Mariners never knew how close they were to escaping the peril that accompanies facing Pedro Martinez yesterday afternoon. As menacing, gray clouds hovered just above the light towers and shrouded wintry Fenway Park like giant, saturated sponges, Martinez headed to the mound following a 125-minute delay knowing that the first sign of renewed precipitation would signal the end of his outing. With the temperature at 41 and expected to drop, and the outfield resembling a rice patty following a torrential morning downpour, the last thing the Red Sox were going to do was risk losing the franchise on a rain-slicked mound. “I don’t recall one day pitching in worse conditions than this,” Martinez said.

Martinez credits supporting cast
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald

Pedro Martinez’ 4-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners yesterday at Fenway Park got him off to a 6-0 start for the second consecutive year and third time in his career, but the Red Sox ace acknowledged that an asterisk probably should be attached. Unlike previous years, when he received paltry run support from his teammates, Martinez has been provided an average of 7.9 runs in his nine starts. … “That is probably the reason that I have been able to have a better record this year, because, believe me, I have not pitched as well as I have in previous years. And they’re the ones that really deserve all the credit for my success so far this season because there were some ugly games that I had early in the season.”

Daubach cleans up nicely in win
Rich Thompson, Boston Herald

Brian Daubach wouldn’t describe his day in the Red Sox’ cleanup spot as Manny-esque. But Daubach contributed three hits and an RBI in place of slugger Manny Ramirez in yesterday’s 4-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners in the middle match of a three-game gig at Fenway Park. Daubach, who extended his hitting streak to five games and is batting .421 (8-for-19) with seven RBI during the run …

Martinez’ effort a perfect ’10’
Tony Massarotti, Boston Herald

They can change coasts and climates, but the Seattle Mariners simply cannot change facts. Ten times they have faced Pedro Martinez and 10 times they have been defeated. So it should hardly come as a surprise if the Mariners are frustrated. Times 10.

Pedro Turns Up The Heat —  9-Pitch, 3-K First Inning
David Heuschkel, Hartford Courant

The conditions could have been just as disadvantageous to Pedro Martinez as they were to the batters, who have experienced days like this in soggy Seattle. Saturday was cold, wet and gray. … As raw as it was at Fenway Park, it didn’t take Martinez long to heat up.

Red Sox: Pedro dominates
Garry Brown, Springfield Union-News

It was the worst of times for Pedro Martinez to be pitching. The temperature at game time was 41 degrees and dropping rapidly. Fenway Park’s turf was waterlogged from heavy rain. Such conditions can lead to hamstring pulls, groin strains or, worst of all, shoulder pains.  … “I would not have gone out there if the mound was sticky,” Martinez said. “But they did a good job of covering it, so I was comfortable with that. But the rest of the field? It was a mess,” the Red Sox ace said. “And it was so awfully cold — I have never pitched under worse conditions.”

Pedro reigns on M’s parade
Phil O’Neill, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Too bad Pedro Martinez can’t pitch every time the Red Sox play the Seattle Mariners. And everyone else, for that matter. … The game finally got started at 3:10 p.m., two hours and five minutes later than scheduled after drenching rains.

Reluctant to postpone, Sox dodge a bullet at sloppy Fenway
Phil O’Neill, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Brian Daubach and Trot Nixon agreed yesterday’s rain-soaked Fenway Park outfield was the worst they’ve ever seen it, and Pedro Martinez said he couldn’t recall pitching under worse conditions. And yet the game went on after a delay of two hours and five minutes. The Red Sox won, and no one got hurt. … Manager Grady Little pointed out that the infield was covered during the rains and Martinez said the mound was fine. “Once you stepped off the mound, it was a swamp, though,” the pitcher said.

Pedro baffles batters, puts M’s on ice again, improves to 10-0 against Seattle
Bob Finnigan, Seattle Times

Six weeks into the 2002 season, the Mariners are still seeking spring as they ran into a New England winter yesterday. And we’re not even talking about the weather, which was miserable. … “It was tough, tougher than usual,” said Mark McLemore, who provided the offensive highlight of the inning by fouling off the second pitch to him. “It was a little windy, it was a little misty and Pedro knew it, too.” The outfielder said the foul ball happened when, “Pedro hit my bat. I really had very little to do with it.”

Seattle can’t penetrate Martinez, mist
Larry LaRue, Tacoma News Tribune

They have faced him in the twilight and in darkness, on hot days and cold nights. On Saturday, the Seattle Mariners faced Pedro Martinez in the mist – and they still haven’t beaten him. … Like every other decision that’s involved Martinez and the Mariners, the game wound up a Boston Red Sox victory, 4-1. “Well, we learned one more thing about him today,” first baseman John Olerud said. “He’s tough when he’s wet and cold, too.”

One must simply pause, marvel at latest effort
Michael Holley, Boston Globe

Sometimes I promise myself that I will not write about Pedro Martinez. We already know that he is Sandy Koufax’s soul mate. We already know that he is the embodiment of a baseball poem. What else is there to say? … This man is amazing. He is constantly pushing and tweaking, always one start away from showing you something that you haven’t seen. …

During spring training, Sox hitting coach Dwight Evans stood behind a cage and watched Martinez throw. “I didn’t realize how sharp and quick his curveball is,” Evans said. “You should see his curve. It breaks like this.” He moved his hands about 18 inches apart. Evans, who played for 20 seasons, has seen a lot of good curveballs. Martinez’s is so good, he said, that it could be a fastball.

Martinez goes eight strong; Sox keep best record
AP

Pedro Martinez didn’t let a rain-delayed start stop his usual dominance of the Seattle Mariners. Martinez improved to 10-0 in his career against the AL West leaders as the Boston Red Sox won 4-1 Saturday. … Of Martinez’s 99 pitches, 74 were strikes. He went to a three-ball count only three times on 29 batters. … The game was played despite a downpour that started before dawn and ended about an hour after the scheduled start. The delay lasted 2 hours, 5 minutes … Martinez became just the 34th pitcher ever to strike out the side on nine pitches. Arizona’s Byung-Hyun Kim was the last do it, last Saturday against Philadelphia.

Pre-Game

Mariners retool for Pedro rematch — Piniella to use regular lineup against right-hander
John Hickey, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

For the second time in a week, the Mariners face Pedro Martinez today. They lost to the Red Sox ace last Sunday, 10-4. They’ve faced him nine times in his career, and he’s 9-0.  So what can the Mariners do differently? … Lou Piniella will trot out a different-looking lineup. Last Sunday, he loaded up with left-handed hitters. “This time I’ll go with my regular lineup against right-handers,” Piniella said. “We’ll go with our best and see what happens.”

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