Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox, July 14, 2002 v Toronto Blue Jays

pedro martinez
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Pedro Says Extra Rest Made Him Feel “Too Strong” Urbina’s 1 Pitch Dooms Sox; Hinske Caps 4-4 Day With 2nd Home Run Boston Drops 3rd Straight to Toronto, 6-5

Sunday, July 14, 2002
Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays
Skydome, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Pedro’s Line

Box Score and play-by-play

Red Sox lose heartbreaker
Mike Petraglia, mlb.com

So much for high hopes and best laid plans. The weekend in Toronto that began Thursday with a 10-3 laugher for the Red Sox ended Sunday in heartbreak when Eric Hinske’s second homer of the day sailed deep into the right-field seats, a solo walk-off homer that gave the Blue Jays a 6-5 win. As victimized closer Ugueth Urbina and his teammates walked off the field, they tried to come to grips with a third consecutive loss to a team against which they had scored 83 runs in 11 consecutive wins. …

While Martinez did his part by allowing just three runs, only one earned, in six innings, it was hardly a breeze. “I thought I was good enough, given it was seven days (since the last start),” said Martinez, whose fastball reached 94 mph several times after the first inning. “Maybe I was too rested. I felt strong, a little bit off-rhythm. My stuff was good. I fell behind a couple of hitters and left a few pitches up but everything was fine. And that’s the good news.”

Pedro well-rusted: Martinez ‘too strong’ in return from break
Michael Gee, Boston Herald

During the All-Star break, the Red Sox wanted Pedro Martinez to get as much rest as possible. That way, their ace starter would be as strong as possible when he returned to action. The strategy succeeded all too well. “I felt too strong,” Martinez said yesterday … “It got to the point where I actually had to aim my pitches instead of just letting them go. If I really let them go, I would miss very badly.”

Canadian clubbed — Hinske HR hands Sox 3d straight loss
Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

Even before the Sox entourage cleared customs yesterday on its way to Detroit, news of the Yankees’ ninth-inning collapse in Cleveland should have taken some of the sting out of their one-pitch demise in the last of the ninth here, where Ugueth Urbina’s one appearance in SkyDome over the weekend lasted the time it took for rookie Eric Hinske’s home run to reach the right-field seats and make the Sox 6-5 losers to the Blue Jays. But it didn’t alter the sobering reality that the Sox, even with ace Pedro Martinez on the mound, couldn’t keep the Jays from beating them three straight … 

Canada Dry For Sox — Lose 3 Of 4 To Blue Jays
David Heuschkel, Hartford Courant

Red Sox manager Grady Little was convinced his team was going to win Sunday when Trot Nixon tied it with a two-run homer in the ninth. As soon as the ball sailed over the fence in right-center, the phone rang in the bullpen. “Get Ugie ready to pitch the bottom of the ninth,” pitching coach Tony Cloninger told bullpen coach Bob Kipper. Ugueth Urbina was rested.

Sox start to leak: Third straight loss knocks wind out
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald

Without question, the Red Sox’ 6-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday was the most deflating defeat of the season. … Manager Grady Little pulled out all of the stops to win this one, including the deployment of tonight’s scheduled starting pitcher – Tim Wakefield – in relief of Pedro Martinez, but the sputtering Sox still couldn’t stem the momentum leak. … “This is tough to swallow, especially after coming back twice and not being able to seal the deal,” Little said.

Urbina, Sox fall from grace again at Skydome
Steven Krasner, Providence Journal

A disappointing weekend in SkyDome could not have come to a more numbing conclusion for the Boston Red Sox. Toronto Blue Jays rookie Eric Hinske, leading off the bottom of the ninth in a tie game, drilled a home run into the second deck on the first pitch by All-Star reliever Ugueth Urbina. It was a resounding thud as the ball landed in the seats, leaving the disconsolate Red Sox trudging off the artificial turf while the Blue Jays waited at home plate for Hinske to perform a group dance in celebration of their 6-5 victory.

Hinske’s homer beats Red Sox
Spencer Fordin, mlb.com

Showing an opportunistic side on Sunday, the Blue Jays stayed with Pedro Martinez and jumped on Boston’s bullpen. Eric Hinske hit two homers off the Red Sox relievers, one off Tim Wakefield to change the game and one off Ugueth Urbina to win it. Hinske’s second shot, a solo job in the bottom of the ninth, gave Toronto a 6-5 win.

One and done for Urbina
Phil O’Neill, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

What looked like easy pickings against a succession of doormats before a showdown series with the Yankees in New York next weekend is turning into a nightmare for Red Sox Nation.

Hinske homers to win series
Geoff Baker, Toronto Star

Make that a huge two thumbs up from Blue Jays third baseman Eric Hinske on his latest video review. Seems that Hinske was so concerned about his recent tailspin at the plate that he sought a video date with hitting coach Mike Barnett. The two men sat down after last Thursday night’s game and watched tapes of Hinske’s at-bats that revealed a flaw in his stance.

Delgado goes extra mile with Martinez on the hill
Geoff Baker, Toronto Star

Blue Jays first baseman Carlos Delgado seems to be emerging from a prolonged hitting funk after notching a run-scoring triple and a double yesterday. Delgado had contributed to Saturday’s victory by driving in one run with a double and scoring another. The triple yesterday came off Pedro Martinez in the third inning. Toronto’s last series win over Boston at the SkyDome came more than two years ago and saw Delgado hit a memorable, game-tying homer off Martinez.

Hinske walks off with big Jays victory
John Lott, National Post

All right, Eric Hinske, the opposing pitcher is Pedro Martinez. Your strategy, please. “Get to him early. Don’t get two strikes or you’ll strike out. He probably has the best stuff in the game.” And if the pitcher happens to be knuckleballer Tim Wakefield? “Just try to hit it hard back at him.” OK, suppose you’re facing Boston closer Ugueth Urbina with the game on the line in the ninth inning. “He always tries to get ahead with a fastball, in or out. I look for something over the plate.” This kid seems to have it all figured out, eh?

No time to talk … action is needed
Michael Holley, Boston Globe

Today is July 15, 16 days before Major League Baseball’s official trading deadline. But everyone who watched the Red Sox at SkyDome the past four games knows the 31st is an irrelevant date for New England’s favorite baseball team. The Sox are on deadline now. In fact, their deadline was an hour ago. Why wait until the end of the month for something that is already past due?

Arrojo is ready to shoulder the load
Gordon Edes, Boston Globe 

Rolando Arrojo … is joining the major league team in Detroit to start tonight against the Tigers. … One Red Sox official dismissed as ”ridiculous” a report that the Sox had interest in reacquiring Mo Vaughn, whose contract runs through the 2004 season. … Pedro Martinez threw 106 pitches (67 strikes) in his six-inning outing. He topped out at 95 miles per hour, but said he had to hold back with his fastball because he felt so strong his command was off. ”At times I was aiming the ball,” he said, ”because every time I tried to let it go, with the strength I felt, I was off target.”

Pre-Game

Pedro to work shorter shift
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald

In an effort to keep Pedro Martinez fresh for his following start vs. the New York Yankees, Red Sox manager Grady Little said he plans to use his ace for no more than five or six innings today in the last of four games vs. the Toronto Blue Jays at SkyDome. Martinez, who hasn’t pitched since July 6, will be going on seven days of rest. … Unlike the previous two seasons, when Martinez encountered shoulder problems before the All-Star break, he has remained injury-free this season. It is a credit to his offseason workout program, which added a dozen pounds of upper-body muscle, as well as Little’s judicious deployment this season. Martinez has thrown 110 pitches or fewer in five of his last seven starts and he’s unlikely to throw more than 90-95 pitches today.

Little looking to keep Martinez rested
Mike Petraglia, mlb.com

Grady Little hopes to limit Pedro Martinez to five or six innings Sunday when he starts the finale of the four-game series at SkyDome. … Following his start against the Blue Jays, Martinez’s scheduled outing will be the first game of the three-game series at Yankee Stadium against the leaders of the AL East.

Martinez’s spirits up after some down time
Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

This was the first time in 11 years, Pedro Martinez said, that he was able to go home to the Dominican Republic during the All-Star break. “I relaxed on my mother’s farm,” Martinez said. “Lots of piggies, and I ate mangoes, lots of ’em. They were in season. I never get to have them now.” Martinez also paid a visit to his brother Ramon, the former Red Sox pitcher who is busy running his own construction company, saw some other friends and relatives, and stayed away from any TV sets. He said he didn’t know until a reporter mentioned it yesterday that his friend and former teammate, Cliff Floyd, had been traded back to the Expos.

Martinez gave one interview while he was home, to a reporter with whom he always has been friendly. Yes, he said, he told her he hoped to receive a contract extension from the Red Sox. But no, he said yesterday, the Sox have yet to approach him about an extension, or picking up the option on the 2004 season, in which he would be paid $17.5 million. If the Sox don’t exercise the option, Martinez would be owed $2.5 million, on top of a contract that already will have paid him $72.5 million over six years.

“I want them to,” he said of extending his deal, “but I wouldn’t blame them for waiting. I think they’re waiting on the [labor] negotiations before they talk. Next year is my last year. But I want to stay here. That is clear, at least.”

Martinez on mound today
Steven Krasner, Providence Journal

Pedro Martinez will make his first post All-Star break start today in the series finale. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is not expected to go terribly deep into the game, said Little, who is eyeing the right-hander’s next start, Friday night in Yankee Stadium in the opener of a three-game series with New York. … “We’ll monitor Pedro throughout the whole season,” said Little. “It’s working well so far, so we’ll keep on the same train of thinking.” Martinez will be trying to win a fifth consecutive start, something he hasn’t done since going 5-0 in April, 2000.

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