Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox, August 4, 2002 v Texas Rangers

pedro martinez
___________________________

Pedro Says He Has Never Felt This
Good This Late In The Season —
It’s “Weird … Something New”

Since Opening Day, He Has
Posted 1.87 ERA in 22 Starts

Ace’s Outings Becoming Almost
Boring — 7 IP, 3H, 1BB, 10K

With Manny Resting, Sox Rack
Up 11 Runs and 19 Hits

Sunday, August 4, 2002
Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers
The Ballpark at Arlington, Arlington, Texas

Pedro’s Line

ip h r Er bb k bf pit ball stk GB FB
7 3 0 0 1 10 24 100 33 67 5 6

Box Score and play-by-play

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 r h e
Boston 1 0 2 5 0 0 1 2 0 11 19 0
Texas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 8 8

Martinez, Garciaparra beat Rangers
Jesse Sanchez, mlb.com

Red Sox starter Pedro Martinez provided the pitching and his teammate Nomar Garciaparra supplied the offense. The Rangers could not offer an answer. Martinez allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings and the Boston shortstop hit two home runs to pace Red Sox to an 11-3 victory against the Rangers in front of 29,359 at The Ballpark in Arlington. Garciaparra finished 4-for-4 with three RBIs. Martinez racked up 10 strikeouts in the victory and has now fanned at least 10 batters eight times this season and 86 times in his career. The right-hander’s record improves to 15-2 and his ERA drops to 2.25.

Martinez feels like vintage Pedro
Ian Browne, mlb.com

The climb is over for Pedro Martinez. Boston’s ace has reached the summit again. … It was the third consecutive start the opposition didn’t score against him. For the seventh time in his last nine starts, he was nothing short of tremendous. … He improved his record to 15-2, tying for the AL lead in wins. His ERA sunk to 2.25, which is bested only by his teammate Derek Lowe. In past years, numbers like those would be ho hum stuff for a man who already has three Cy Young awards at his disposal. But this year has been altogether different for the dominant Dominican. … “I think I’m pitching equally as well, if not better,” said Martinez, asked to compare 2002 to 1999 or 2000. “I’m racking up the strikeouts still, and I throw the fastball and the changeup the same way I used to. I pitch the same way I used to. I think I’m doing the same thing except maybe I’m wiser. I’m using (my repertoire) in a wiser way.”

Texas toast — Martinez (10Ks) heats up while Rangers melt down
Bob Hohler, Boston Globe 

The Swiss make watches. The French make Bordeaux. The Red Sox send Pedro Martinez to the mound. And they’re all good. Like clockwork, Martinez last night took his 23d turn of the season. And for the 11th time in 12 decisions after a Sox loss, the ace delivered … he and Derek Lowe creep closer to becoming the first two 20-game winners for the Sox in the same season since Mel Parnell (25-7) and Ellis Kinder (23-6) in 1949. … ”I’m feeling great, actually better than I did at the start of the season, and I’m gaining confidence every time out,” he said. ”If anyone wants more than I have given so far, that’s going to be someone really greedy.”

Sox thump Texas: Pedro, Nomar key 11-3 rout
Michael Silverman, Boston Herald

Displaying strong and subtle brushstrokes, and dipping into a vivid and varied palette, Pedro Martinez painted yet another masterpiece to hang in the Red Sox’ gallery last night. … Martinez joined teammate Derek Lowe and Oakland’s Barry Zito’s as the league’s only 15-game winners, and his ERA dipped to 2.25, second only to Lowe’s 2.13. For the next two months, the great debate undoubtedly will be: “Who wins the Cy Young, Pedro or Derek?” … “At this stage of the season, I feel better than I have than in any other season,” said Martinez, who credits offseason conditioning and careful usage patterns from the coaches for his stamina. “I’m spoiled now. No one picked me to pitch like this.”

Ace shows easy excellence
Tony Massarotti, Boston Herald

He has the highest winning percentage in major league history, won three Cy Young Awards and twice struck out 300 batters in a season. But never in his career has Pedro Martinez won games as effortlessly as he is winning them now. … “You know what I think is the key? I don’t think I’ve passed the 115 mark in pitches,” said Martinez … Preserving Martinez was of paramount concern for the Sox this season, but even they could not have imagined a more ideal scenario thus far. …

In his last nine starts, Martinez is 8-0 with a 0.98 ERA while limiting opposing hitters to a .146 average. During that stretch, enemy batters have struck out 89 times in 64 innings, a rate nearly three times as fast as they have collected hits (32). Since Opening Day, when he allowed seven earned runs in three innings of a no-decision against the Toronto Blue Jays, Martinez has an ERA of 1.87 over 22 starts. And just how is he feeling this August compared to those other corresponding times during his Sox career? “Better than any other season,” Martinez said. “And I pray I stay that way.”

With Pedro, It All Adds Up — Strikes Out 10 In 7 Innings For 15th Win
David Heuschkel, Hartford Courant

Managers, players and coaches say the game isn’t played on paper. But this one was a mismatch from the start. The Red Sox sent Pedro Martinez to the mound Sunday night. The Rangers countered with Aaron Myette and his bloated – 10.42 – ERA.

Martinez, Sox bats, make it look easy
Sean McAdam, Providence Journal 

The last time Pedro Martinez made an August start at The Ballpark in Arlington, his career seemed at a crossroads. Returning from a two-month stay on the disabled list because of shoulder woes, Martinez struggled to get through four innings here … “I was still hurting with every pitch,” recalled Martinez last night. … Last night, it was as if the uncertainly of last summer and this spring never took place as Martinez tossed seven shutout innings, seemingly without effort … “No comparison,” said Martinez, contrasting this start and his previous one here, “especially with my health. It hurt with every pitch [last August]. Today, everything was normal.” Early edition story.

Ramirez takes a rest
Ian Browne, mlb.com

There are precious few times in any season that you see Manny Ramirez and slump mentioned on the same sentence. But the lethal cleanup hitter is in one of those rare funks. With Ramirez 4-for-22 on this road trip, manager Grady Little decided Sunday night was the perfect time to give him a break. … Ramirez hasn’t driven in a run in his last 31 at bats …

Staggered starter: Red Sox KO Myette, 11-3
Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News

Hunched over his locker in a hooded sweatshirt, Aaron Myette bore the look of a determined prizefighter with something to prove before his start against Boston on Sunday evening. He had the look of a prizefighter when he left the game, too. You know, beaten and broken. … Once again, he put leadoff men on base. Once again, he failed to put innings away after getting to two outs. Once again, he headed to the clubhouse early.

A silver lining for Bell — Rangers routed, but pitcher impresses in relief role
Carlos Mendez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Rob Bell moved to the bullpen to make room for other young pitchers. His outing Sunday night emphasized that he doesn’t need to be in the rotation to be impressive. Bell took over after another shaky start by Aaron Myette, one of the pitchers he is making room for, and put together 3.1 strong innings in the first relief appearance of his major-league career … Bell allowed one run, a solo home run by Shea Hillenbrand, on five hits. He struck out four and walked none, although the Rangers were too far behind Pedro Martinez to make the game close.

Red Sox Notebook
Bob Hohler, Boston Globe

Pedro Martinez (14-2, 2.36) will start the finale of the four-game series against the Rangers tonight against Aaron Myette (0-3, 10.42). Martinez has not allowed a run in his last 16 innings. He is the only Sox pitcher ever to win at least 14 of his first 16 decisions in two seasons.

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