Martinez Has That Presidential Look

Dennis Martinez was making the ball dance again. He was striking that stately pose at the top of his leg kick, the one that fits his nickname so well.

Yes, El Presidente was back. He was back to dazzle, brush back and shut down his former team--not to mention haunt them.

Martinez, who won one of the biggest games in Cleveland history two years ago, gave up two hits in six innings Monday night as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Indians, 6-1, at Cleveland.

“It’s just a great reward, I guess, to be able to keep fighting, to keep doing the thing I love to do,” Martinez said. “And to prove that I am still able to help a ballclub win.”

Martinez, the winning pitcher in 1995 when the Indians defeated Seattle to clinch their first AL pennant in 41 years, gave up only a single and a double by Matt Williams. He walked four, struck out one and hit two former teammates--Sandy Alomar and Marquis Grissom, who played with Martinez in Montreal.

Seattle got three runs in the first inning off Charles Nagy (1-1), and Martinez held the lead.

Jay Buhner went two for three with a two-run double in the first. Paul Sorrento, who played with Martinez in Cleveland, had a run-scoring single in the first and a run-scoring double in the third.

Milwaukee 7, Detroit 0--Cal Eldred pitched eight strong innings, and Jeromy Burnitz and Gerald Williams highlighted a three-run sixth with run-scoring singles as the Brewers won at Milwaukee.

Eldred (2-0) gave up four hits while striking out two and walking three, and Milwaukee won for the fifth time in seven games.

The Brewers loaded the bases with one out in the sixth on back-to-back singles by Dave Nilsson and John Jaha, and a walk to Marc Newfield. Burnitz singled to left, and Brian Moehler (0-1) walked Mark Loretta to make it 2-0. Dan Miceli came on for Moehler, but immediately gave up the hit to Williams.

The Brewers added four runs in the eighth inning on a two-run single by Mike Matheny and run-scoring singles by Fernando Vina and Jeff Cirillo.

Kansas City 3, Toronto 2--Jay Bell homered twice and pinch-hitter Bip Roberts singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, leading the Royals at Toronto.

Bell homered in the first and sixth off Woody Williams, the third multihomer game of his career. Williams was starting because Roger Clemens has a pulled groin muscle.

With the score, 2-2, in the eighth, Johnny Damon reached on a two-out single off Paul Quantrill (0-1) and scored from first when Roberts singled through shortstop on a hit-and-run, hitting the ball past the spot vacated by Alex Gonzalez. Damon scored without a throw after center fielder Otis Nixon missed the cutoff man.

Glendon Rusch (2-0), making only his second major league appearance, gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings.

Boston 10, Oakland 1--Tim Wakefield gave up one hit in seven innings, and Mo Vaughn hit his first homer in 12 games this year as the Red Sox defeated the Athletics at Boston.

Damon Mashore opened the game with a bloop double, but Wakefield retired the next 20 batters before Mark McGwire walked with two outs in the seventh. Geronimo Berroa then flied to left.

But after throwing 76 pitches, almost all knucklers, Wakefield was replaced by Rick Trlicek to start the eighth. He gave up Tony Batista’s first homer of the year--one of only three Oakland hits--with one out in the inning.

Vaughn got his first homer and run batted in of the season in the first inning, and Boston added four runs in the second and two in the fifth off Willie Adams (0-1).

Texas 3, Chicago 1--Rusty Greer hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, giving the Rangers the victory over the struggling White Sox at Arlington, Texas.

Bill Ripken almost put Texas ahead with a double that just missed clearing the left-field wall. Greer followed with his first homer of the year, which went several rows into the right-field stands. The drive off Wilson Alvarez (0-3) was Texas’ first home run in 38 innings.

Chicago lost for the fifth time in six games and dropped to 3-8.

Alvarez gave up three runs--two earned--and seven hits, striking out one and walking one. Ken Hill gave up one run and three hits in seven innings.

Ray Durham singled in a run in the third. Chicago had at least one runner in every inning after that but never got anyone past second.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

*--*

Player Team Performance Team’s Result Mo Vaughn Boston First HR, RBI of season Win Jay Bell Kansas City 2 for 4, 2 RBI, 2 HR Win

*--*

PITCHING

*--*

Player Team Performance Team’s Result Cal Eldred Milwaukee 8 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs Win Scott Erickson Baltimore 2nd win in April--5-15 Win before 1997 Dennis Martinez Seattle 6 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, Win 4 strikeouts Tim Wakefield Boston 7 innings, 1 hits, 0 runs, Win 2 strikeouts

*--*