Rays/MLB

Red Sox rip Martinez in Fenway return

By TIMES WIRES
Published June 29, 2006

RED SOX 10 METS 2

BOSTON - Pedro Martinez got a standing ovation in his return to Fenway then had his worst game as a Met.

The Red Sox extended their win streak to 11, their longest in 11 years, behind Josh Bec-kett, who allowed two runs five days after retiring the first 16 batters in beating Philadelphia.

But that did not have the same drama. The Mets' ace won two Cy Youngs with Boston but left after

2004. As he walked to the mound in the first, fans gave Martinez a 55-second standing ovation. As he warmed up, they chanted "Pedro! Pedro!"

"You've got to go out and focus on what you have to do and not worry about all the other stuff," Beckett said.

Sox fans serenaded Martinez in the third, but those chants were more mocking.

"It's not disappointing," he said. "I will always remember (the reception I got) as one of the best moments of my life."

Since winning his first five starts, he is 2-4 in his past 11. And the runs were the most Martinez has given up since Sept. 19, 2004, an 11-1 loss at Yankee Stadium.

Kevin Youkilis and Mark Lo-retta led off the first with singles. David Ortiz then grounded the ball back to Martinez. He looked toward third, but no one was covering because of the shift many teams use against Ortiz. By the time he looked at second, Loretta was nearly there.

Martinez did get Ortiz. But Manny Ramirez walked to load the bases before Trot Nixon's single and Jason Varitek's sac fly. Mike Lowell then hit a ball to deep leftfield that bounced off the heel of Lastings Mil-ledge's glove for a two-run, two-base error.

Ramirez led off the third with a double and scored on Nixon's single. Another run scored when Lowell grounded into a double play. And after Coco Crisp's walk, Alex Gonzalez homered.

"I didn't have anything," Martinez said. "I couldn't spot the ball well and the Red Sox are a hot team and will probably unload on anybody."

Notable: The Mets' Carlos Delgado hit his 43 interleague homer, second all-time to Jim Thome's 49.

[Last modified June 29, 2006, 06:41:44]