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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) – Paul O'Neill and the New York Yankees have found
the secret formula: They know how to win when facing Pedro
Martinez.
|  | | Mike Mussina allowed six hits in eight innings of work on Thursday. |
Baseball's most dominant pitcher failed for the fifth straight
time to defeat the rival Yankees, with Mike Mussina outdueling
Martinez for a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday.
The Yankees overcame Martinez in a familiar way, using stellar
starting pitching, a couple of timely hits and an unbeatable
bullpen.
"The Boston-Yankee thing, it's always a one-run game," said
O'Neill, who hit a tiebreaking single in the fifth inning. "It
seems like every time you look out there, it's Pedro on the
mound."
"Obviously, he's throwing out zero after zero, and you've got
to scratch and claw," he said. "He's the king of the hill, and to
beat him is real satisfying."
Martinez (6-1) dropped to 0-3 in his last five starts against
the Yankees -- despite a 2.75 ERA in that stretch.
"If everybody scores just two runs on me, I guarantee I'll win
20 games," Martinez said. "They score one or two, they beat me
with that, I just tip my hat."
A sellout crowd of 55,592 saw the Yankees edge past Boston for
first place in the AL East. Bernie Williams homered, O'Neill hit
his key single and Mussina (5-4) made it stand up.
"I know it's Pedro and all, and it moved us into first place,
but we still have a lot of games to play," Mussina said.
"We're fortunate to have done as well against him as we have.
Anytime you come out and play against Pedro, you know what he's
capable of."
It was a good omen for the Yankees, who began a stretch in which
they're scheduled to see the three-time Cy Young winner three times
in 12 days.
"I got the loss today, but hopefully I'll get my revenge the
next time," Martinez said.
Martinez, whose major league-leading ERA rose from 1.52 to 1.60,
struck out 12 to increase his AL-high total to 108.
But Mussina, who had already lost twice to Boston this season,
was even better in his first-ever head-to-head matchup with
Martinez.
Mussina struck out a season-high 12, including Carl Everett four
times, and walked none in eight innings. He gave up six hits, as
did Martinez, and rarely was in trouble.
The Red Sox nicked him for a run in the third when Trot Nixon
hit a two-out double and scored on Jose Offerman's single.
Mussina's only other jam came in the seventh when Shea
Hillenbrand singled with two outs and Brian Daubach hit a high fly
that left fielder Chuck Knoblauch seemed to lose in the sun, with
the ball bouncing into the stands for a ground-rule double.
But Mussina struck out Nixon, and the Red Sox did not threaten
again.
Mariano Rivera pitched a perfect ninth for his 13th save in 14
chances.
"Every time you play the Red Sox, it's like postseason play,"
Yankees manager Joe Torre said.
Martinez, winless against the Yankees since beating Roger
Clemens in a dramatic, Sunday night duel last May 28, worked out of
trouble most of the afternoon.
Williams homered to right-center on a 1-2 pitch leading off the
fourth inning. It was the second straight day he homered in a win
over the Red Sox.
"You just try to stay focused and hope he makes a mistake,"
Williams said.
Scott Brosius singled to start the Yankees' fifth and Chuck
Knoblauch walked with one out. Derek Jeter followed with a grounder
to shortstop John Valentin, but Offerman did not handle the flip
cleanly on a forceout, and had no chance at an inning-ending double
play.
O'Neill, who looked overmatched in striking out and grounding
out in his first two at-bats against Martinez, quickly fell behind
1-2 in the count.
O'Neill then slapped a single the other way, through the hole
between shortstop and third base, for the go-ahead run. He is just
9-for-43 with 12 strikeouts against Martinez.
"It wasn't a great, great hit," O'Neill said. "It was a cheap
hit. But against him, you'll take it."
Game notes
Martinez also has struggled against New York's other team.
He's 0-3 in his last four starts against the Mets. ... Martinez has
allowed only two home runs in 73 innings this season. Oakland's
Jason Giambi hit the other one. ... Martinez had his seventh game
with at least 10 strikeouts, including three in a row, this season
and 76 overall. ... Mussina had his second game with 10 Ks this
year and 28th in his career. ... Torre won his
1,407th game, moving past Jimmy Dykes into 21st place on the career
list. ... Nixon had been 0-for-17 against Mussina before his
double. It was Nixon's ninth-inning homer last May that lifted
Martinez over Clemens.
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OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Boston Clubhouse
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RECAPS
NY Yankees 2
Boston 1
Baltimore 6
Anaheim 4
Cleveland 8
Detroit 5
Chi. White Sox 3
Toronto 1
Texas 9
Tampa Bay 3
St. Louis 7
Milwaukee 4
Chicago Cubs 3
Cincinnati 0
San Diego 3
Arizona 1
Philadelphia 6
Pittsburgh 5
NY Mets 11
Florida 3
San Francisco 5
Colorado 1
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Mike Mussina downplays his pitching duel with Pedro Martinez.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Pedro Martinez not only likes his chances of winning 20 games, but he guarantees it (Courtesy: WCVB).
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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