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Other Cy Young winner
Saberhagen, not Martinez, will start Game 5
Posted: Monday October 11, 1999 07:32 AM
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Bret Saberhagen comes off a disastrous performance in Game 2, which Boston lost 11-1. AP |
BOSTON (Ticker) -- Nomar Garciaparra was back in the lineup for the Boston Red Sox tonight, but he will not be joined by Pedro Martinez on Monday.
After sitting out Saturday with a sore right wrist, Garciaparra played in Sunday's 23-7 rout of the Cleveland Indians that evened the American League Division Series at two wins apiece.
Garciaparra had one hit in three at-bats before leaving after six innings with the contest out of hand. His return was overshadowed by the record-setting performance of the Red Sox, who established postseason standards for runs and hits (24).
Despite the offensive explosion, there is reason for concern as the Red Sox head to Jacobs Field for the fifth and deciding game on Monday night.
Likely Cy Young award winner Martinez, forced to leave Game One due to a back strain, is not healthy enough to start on Monday. Game Two loser Bret Saberhagen will start against Charles Nagy. Saberhagen tossed a shutout to win Game Seven of the 1985 World Series for the Kansas City Royals.
"He's better, but we can't hurt the kid," Boston manager Jimy Williams said of Martinez. "We'll see how he is tomorrow from the standpoint of his health. We just don't think it's wise to start him."
Martinez was forced to depart after just four innings in Game One. Without Martinez, the Red Sox squandered a two-run lead and fell to the Indians, 3-2, in the series opener.
Martinez, 27, hurt himself throwing a pitch to Jim Thome in the fourth inning.
Martinez is widely regarded as baseball's best pitcher. He finished with a 23-4 record and a 2.07 ERA with 313 strikeouts.
Charles Nagy, who defeated Saberhagen in Game Two, gets the ball for Cleveland on Monday night.
The wrist injury prevented Garciaparra from playing the final five games of the regular season but he returned for the Division Series opener and collected two hits, including a home run, off Bartolo Colon. He was 2-for-6 in the first two games.
Garciaparra, a two-time All-Star, won the AL batting title at .357, eight points bettter than Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees. The crown was the first by a Boston player since Wade Boggs won each year from 1985-88.
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