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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
BOSTON (AP) – The Tampa Bay Devil Rays couldn't do anything to
Pedro Martinez, and neither could the weather.
|  | | Pedro Martinez hears it from the Fenway faithful as he walks back to the dugout. |
Fighting 42-degree temperatures and intermittent rain, Martinez
struck out 16 in eight innings to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 3-0
victory over Tampa Bay for his first win of the season.
"You just have to understand what's happening to your body,"
said Martinez (1-0), who recorded his first six outs on strikeouts
and brought a no-hitter into the sixth. "It's different. But the
cold weather is affecting the hitters, too."
In his last start against Tampa Bay, on Aug. 29, Pedro Martinez
came within three outs of a no-hitter and finished with a
one-hitter. This time he gave up three hits after holding the Devil
Rays hitless until Felix Martinez, the No. 9 hitter, lined a sharp
single to center to lead off the sixth.
"He's the best pitcher in baseball," said the Devil Rays'
shortstop, who also had a bunt single in the eighth. "The weather
didn't help."
Pedro Martinez, who's from the Dominican Republic, said his only
adjustment was making sure he had warmed up enough before throwing
the pitches that count. Sometimes when it's warm, he said, he
throws only four warmups between innings; on Sunday, he would throw
10 or 12.
"He's from a warm-weather country and he's out there pitching
in this weather. He doesn't figure that in," Boston manager Jimy
Williams said. "He doesn't think that it's cold. It's just his day
to pitch."
Martinez allowed three hits and three walks overall. He also
recorded six of his last seven outs on strikeouts before Derek
Lowe, who earned losses in his two previous outings, pitched the
ninth for his first save.
"It was nice to walk off the field for the right reason," Lowe
said.
Manny Ramirez went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI, and Carl
Everett doubled twice and drove in a run for Boston, which swept
the three-game series.
Albie Lopez (1-1) allowed three runs, six hits, five walks and a
balk in seven innings, striking out six. Tampa Bay has lost five
straight since beating Toronto in the season opener.
Martinez, who has won the last two AL Cy Young Awards to go with
one from the NL, did not earn a decision in his first start when
Boston lost 2-1 in 11 innings.
It was the 43rd time Martinez has struck out at least 10 for
Boston, and the 70th time in his career.
Game notes
The start of the game was delayed 14 minutes because of
field conditions. ... Felix Martinez made a highlight-reel catch at
shortstop to end the third, stepping over left-fielder Steve Cox
and catching the ball on the tip of his glove. ... Boston's Shea
Hillenbrand, who went 2-for-4, has hit safely in all six games. ...
Vinny Castilla is 0-for-17 career against Martinez, with 10
strikeouts. ... Ben Grieve, who went 0-for-4 with a double play, is
23-for-117 (.197) against Boston in his career, his lowest batting
average against any team. ... The Rays were not swept in a road
series of three or more games all of last year. ... Bobby Smith and
Mike Difelice were 0-for-6 with six strikeouts. ... John Flaherty,
who broke up Martinez's no-hit bid in Tampa last August, was not in
the lineup.
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RECAPS
Boston 3
Tampa Bay 0
Cleveland 4
Baltimore 3
NY Yankees 16
Toronto 5
Detroit 5
Chi. White Sox 3
Kansas City 15
Minnesota 4
Texas 5
Seattle 4
Anaheim 6
Oakland 4
Florida 6
Atlanta 1
Montreal 5
NY Mets 2
Philadelphia 3
Chicago Cubs 1
Milwaukee 8
Cincinnati 4
Pittsburgh 9
Houston 3
San Diego 11
Colorado 3
St. Louis 9
Arizona 4
San Francisco 8
Los Angeles 3
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Pedro Martinez says he felt like challenging every person who stood in the batter's box.
avi: 632 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
None of the Devil Rays could see any of Pedro Martinez's pitches, according to Boston's Carl Everett.
avi: 947 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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