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Staggering home

Sluggish Jays manage just three hits, lose sixth straight

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Posted: Wednesday September 22, 1999 07:57 AM

Pedro Martinez not only ended the Blue Jays' playoff hopes, but also became the only Boston pitcher to record a shutout this season. AP

BOSTON (AP) - Pedro Martinez reached 300 strikeouts and broke a Roger Clemens team record.

'It's pretty special to have the opportunity to see him pitch every day,' Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said Tuesday night after Martinez pitched a three-hitter and struck out 12 to lead the Boston Red Sox over the Blue Jays 3-0.

'You see him one time, and you say, `Wow, look at that!' But how many times have you seen him do this?' said Williams, who conceded that he felt like a fan while watching his ace pitch. 'I really don't know how you can put in perspective what we're seeing out here.'

The loss, Toronto's sixth in a row, dropped the Blue Jays 11 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL wild-card race with 11 games to play. The Red Sox, who won their sixth consecutive game, maintained a five game wild-card lead over Oakland.

'If he's not the best pitcher in baseball, I don't know who is,' Blue Jays manager Jim Fregosi said.

Martinez (22-4) joined Randy Johnson as the only pitchers to strike out 300 or more in each league. Only nine pitchers in baseball history have reached the 300-mark more than once, led by Nolan Ryan, who did it six times.

'I did in the National League, so to do it again isn't anything new. But it's always nice,' said a joyless Martinez, who learned 15 minutes before the game that a beloved aunt had died. He wrote 'Tia Maria' - Spanish for 'Aunt Maria' - on his hat.

'If you decide to go out there, you've got to do your job,' he said.

Martinez fanned at least 10 for the 18th time this season and seventh in a row, and he lowered his major league-leading ERA to 2.11. He walked two and hit one batter for his fifth complete game, becoming the first Boston pitcher with a shutout this season.

'He's at the top of his game,' said Toronto catcher Darrin Fletcher, who caught Martinez when both were in Montreal. 'We all knew he was going great. It was just a matter of time.'

Martinez struck out Tony Batista in the third inning, giving him four for the game and 292 for the season, breaking the previous team record set by Clemens in 1988.

Despite the cheering crowd, he didn't realize he had set a record until he twisted around to see it on the scoreboard. Still, Martinez didn't bother saving the ball yet, using it to strike out the next batter, Willis Otanez, before sending it to the dugout for safekeeping.

Martinez fanned Carlos Delgado to start the ninth - his 12th of the game - for No. 300.

Pat Hentgen (10-12) allowed three runs - two earned - and 11 hits in seven inning.

Nomar Garciaparra, who leads the AL with a .359 batting average, went 1-for-4. Troy O'Leary had three singles for Boston.

Jose Offerman, who reached three times, singled to start the second inning and stole second. Hentgen fielded Damon Buford's bunt attempt, but Delgado went from first to field the ball and Hentgen made the throw to an uncovered base for an error that allowed Offerman to score.

O'Leary singled two batters later to drive in Buford . Garciaparra singled and scored on Mike Stanley's sacrifice fly in the fifth to make it 3-0.

Notes: Williams said he would go to a six-man rotation for the rest of the season. The move would give each of the pitchers five days' rest between starts and keep them fresh for the postseason. Pat Rapp will start Wednesday, Kent Mercker on Thursday, Bret Saberhagen on Friday, Ramon Martinez on Saturday and Tim Wakefield on Sunday before it gets back to Pedro Martinez. ... Red Sox OF Darren Lewis' reported that his left wrist was sore. An MRI showed no notable structural damage. ... Boston 3B Wilton Veras committed two errors on one play when he flubbed Homer Bush's grounder in the fifth, then threw it into the stands. ... Red Sox OF Trot Nixon got caught when he failed to run out a popped up bunt in the fourth. Hentgen let it drop on purpose and started a double play. ... Martinez failed to strike anyone out in the sixth, only the second time since the first inning of Aug. 8 that he has gotten three outs in an inning without a strikeout.

 

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