Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox, June 3, 2002 v. Detroit Tigers

pedro martinez
___________________________

Pedro Allows 2 HRs to Start
Game For 1st Time in Career

Afterwards:
“No Silly Questions.
I’m a Little Snippy.”

Red Sox Rally, But Tigers
Win 7-6 in 10

Monday, June 3, 2002
Boston Red Sox at Detroit Tigers
Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan

Pedro’s Line

ip h r Er bb k bf pit ball stk GB FB
6 7 4 4 0 4 26 95 33 62 6 8

Box Score and play-by-play

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 r h e
Boston 0 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 12 0
Detroit 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 7 11 0

Pedro’s recent struggles continue — Boston ace roughed up by Tigers Monday
Jason Beck, mlb.com

Pedro Martinez may have a close relationship with Tigers manager Luis Pujols, but the Detroit players did not warmly receive him Monday. … For the second consecutive outing, the Red Sox ace encountered first-inning struggles that led to questions about his health. This time, however, the problem wasn’t velocity. “He just had trouble hitting spots,” Boston manager Grady Little said. “He missed locations, got behind, a couple of balls rolled through the infield. Next thing you know, we’re down four runs.” …

“I told you before that this year is a year to wonder,” Martinez said. “I don’t know what I’m going to get every time I go out, even though I’ve been doing pretty good. This year’s started out pretty good, but … I think you’re expecting more. You’re expecting the 10 strikeouts and the wins and getting 10 in a row. It’s not easy to do. I’m actually trying to bounce lack from a lost season last year. There’s a lot of things you have to work on. I’m trying to do the best I can.”

Perplexing Pedro: Martinez struggles again
Tony Massarotti, Boston Herald

We are approaching that time of year that has been oh so treacherous for Pedro Martinez, though after the events of last season, we no longer need additional cause to fret. When Martinez wobbles, New England wonders. And worries. “No silly questions. I’m a little snippy,” a stern Martinez said while waving his right index finger at reporters following the Red Sox’ 7-6, extra-inning loss to the inferior Detroit Tigers last night at Comerica Park.

Tigers tame Red Sox in 10 — Halter’s double gives Detroit the win
Jason Beck, mlb.com

Bobby Higginson was right. There’s no rhyme or reason to the Tigers’ wins and losses. How does one explain why a team loses three straight to the Blue Jays, who entered the weekend with the AL’s worst record, then beats a Red Sox team with a 22-5 road record? Why do the Tigers, who couldn’t hit Luke Prokopec two days ago, turn around and beat up Pedro Martinez to help snap a four-game losing streak…?

Martinez tagged early and Wakefield late in loss
Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

When Pedro Martinez starts a game by giving up home runs on consecutive pitches – one to a 22-year-old who doesn’t even have his driver’s license, had never gone deep in the big leagues, and hit just two home runs in Single A last season – there is a conga line of question marks that begins here, circles New England, and stretches all the way to the Dominican Republic, where Martinez’s health is a national preoccupation, according to his old mentor, Felipe Alou. ”Of all the times I’ve seen him pitch, that’s the least stuff he’s had,” said Alou, the Tigers’ bench coach … 

Red Sox sputter: Pedro starts slowly in extra-inning loss
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald

In past seasons, the Red Sox could always count on Pedro Martinez to bail them out during times of trouble. … This year, roles have been reversed and his teammates bear the responsibility of bailing out Martinez from time to time. … Martinez hadn’t surrendered back-to-back homers since June 10, 1998, when Atlanta’s Chipper Jones and Andres Galarraga hit consecutive blasts in a 10-6 Boston win. “They made every at-bat a tough one (last night),” Martinez said. “They did their job. There was nothing I could do, just tip my hat to a big league team and go home.”

Balky ‘pen lets one slip
Steven Krasner, Providence Journal

Reliever Tim Wakefield couldn’t hold a two-run lead, and his balk, a questionable call by plate umpire Bruce Froemming, led to Shane Halter’s game-winning double in the 10th inning as the Detroit Tigers overtook the Sox, 7-6, last night at Comerica Park. … As a result, Wakefield blew the win for Pedro Martinez, who was bidding to go 8-0 for the first time since 1997.

A Puzzling Pedro — Gives Up Two HRs At Start
David Heuschkel, Hartford Courant

Six runs should be enough for Pedro Martinez – especially in a ballpark with such pitcher-friendly dimensions. When that’s not enough, as was the case Monday, fans can’t help but wonder about his right shoulder. … “He started out slow, even in the warm-up pitches,” said Felipe Alou, who knows Martinez as well as anybody from their days in Montreal. “We didn’t see anything. When Pedro Martinez warms up, you can hear that catcher’s mitt. By the time he got going, we had four runs on the board.”

Sox, Pedro hit bump
Bill Ballou, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

The 2002 Red Sox are like a new car, just off of the lot. The engine is shiny and bright. The upholstery squeaks with clean. The radio sounds like Symphony Hall. But wait — there’s a fingerprint on the rearview mirror, and that’s all anyone notices. Last night, the fingerprint was a 7-6 loss to the Tigers in 10 innings, made a bit worse by another questionable start from Pedro Martinez.

Tigers get to Red Sox early, late
John Lowe, Detroit Free Press

Tigers rookie shortstop Ramon Santiago, all 158 pounds of him, hit the first two homers of his career Monday night. The first came leading off the first. The next hitter, Damion Easley, also homered off Boston’s Pedro Martinez. With that impetus, the home team — for the second time in four nights in Detroit — took a stunning 4-0 lead in the first against a legend.

Tigers rock Martinez — He yields back-to-back homers well before Halter wins it
Tom Gage, Detroit News

Go figure. If you can. On the heels of getting swept by a team in such disarray that it fired its manager anyway, as the Blue Jays did with Buck Martinez, the Tigers turned around and not only beat the vaunted Boston Red Sox 7-6 in 10 innings Monday night, but also roughed up the one, the only Pedro Martinez in the process. “That’s not the same Pedro,” Bobby Higginson said. But more on that later. …

Pedro only human
Crystal Evola, The Oakland Press

Rookie Ramon Santiago wrote the script for quite a story he can pass down to his future generations. … He hit his first major league home run against three-time Cy Young winner in Pedro Martinez. … Tigers manager Luis Pujols was impressed. “I know that our country was watching this game tonight on TV and everybody saw Santiago hit his first major league home run against Pedro Martinez,” said Pujols, who knows Martinez from their days together in Montreal. “That’s big. That’s big because Pedro does not give up too many.”

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