DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Pedro Martinez's final outing of the spring
sure didn't last long.
The Boston Red Sox ace was tagged for two homers and six runs
before getting an out in a 13-8 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on
Tuesday.
Josh Phelps hit a grand slam and Eric Hinske also connected in
the first against Martinez, who lasted only three innings. Slated
to start the season opener at Baltimore on Sunday night, the
right-hander threw 53 of his 84 pitches for strikes.
"I'm fine, the best I have felt all spring," Martinez said in
a statement released by the team. "I got my pitches in, spring
training results don't matter. I wanted to do 10 more pitches but
the argument between innings took too long."
All six runs allowed by Martinez came in the first inning on
Greg Myers' RBI single, Phelps' slam and the first of Hinske's two
solo homers.
He gave up eight hits, struck out five and hit Vernon Wells with
a pitch.
Before Martinez even got an out, manager Terry Francona had a
reliever warming up in the bullpen.
"I wasn't going to leave him out there for 45-50 pitches in the
first inning," pitching coach Dave Wallace said.
Wallace helped explain Martinez's problem.
"He gets going a little bit too fast some times," Wallace
said. "Then he pulls the ball across the strike zone."
Francona said of his ace: "I think he is smart enough to know
it's Tuesday in Dunedin not Sunday in Baltimore."
Boston reliever Ramiro Mendoza made his third appearance of the
spring. He needed only four pitches to get through a perfect fourth
inning, then allowed three runs and three hits in the fifth.
"He made some pretty good pitches with the sinker and breaking
ball but he needs to be more consistent," Wallace said.
Toronto starter Justin Miller went 3 1/3 innings, allowing an
unearned run and three hits.
"Anytime you go out there, compete and throw some zeros up you
are going to be happy, especially against the Red Sox," he said.
"Pedro's out there, you want to have a good game."
Hinske had three hits, including a home run off Mike Timlin.
Justin Singleton, son of former major leaguer Ken Singleton, also
hit one of Toronto's five homers.
Boston's David McCarty had four RBI. He hit a three-run homer,
his seventh of the spring.
Game notes
Boston optioned LHP Mark Malaska to Triple-A Pawtucket. ...
Toronto 1B Carlos Delgado (left knee) won't return to the lineup
until Thursday, according to manager Carlos Tosca. ... 2B Orlando
Hudson was a late scratch with a minor left oblique strain. ...
Toronto traded OF Jayson Werth to the Dodgers for reliever Jason
Frasor. ... Boston 3B Bill Mueller (strained right elbow) was
cleared to get five at-bats at the team's minor league complex. ...
Utilityman Simon Pond will be the first Canadian on Toronto's
opening day roster since Paul Quantrill in 2001. ... RHP Roy
Halladay will make his final start before opening day against
Cincinnati on Wednesday.