Braves’ Bullpen Lets Martinez Down Again

The shaky Atlanta bullpen again prevented Dennis Martinez from joining Juan Marichal as the winningest Latin American pitcher in baseball history.

Vladimir Guerrero’s infield single with the bases loaded broke a ninth-inning tie, and Brad Fullmer followed with a three-run double as the Montreal Expos defeated the Braves, 9-5, Thursday at Atlanta.

Martinez, who sprinted off the field after each of his six innings, gave up only three hits and left the game with a 4-1 lead. But the bullpen couldn’t hold it.

“I don’t feel any frustration,” Martinez said. “I’m not really disappointed. I’m just going to go forward. This thing will come. If I’m healthy, everything will be all right. I’m just happy to be pitching again. That’s the way I’m looking at it.”

Martinez can relate to the frustration the relievers are feeling. A year and four days ago, he was released by the Seattle Mariners with a 7.71 earned run average and his career appeared over.

But Martinez recovered from an elbow injury, earned a tryout with the Braves and made the team in spring training.

It was the second game in a row that Martinez was in line for the landmark win, only to be let down by the bullpen. His career record remains, 242-189, one victory short of Hall of Famer Marichal.

Montreal scored two runs in the seventh against Kerry Ligtenberg, then two more in the eighth against Alan Embree and Brian Edmondson to remove Martinez as the pitcher of record. Mark Wohlers (0-1) took the loss, giving up all four ninth-inning runs on three hits and two walks.

“We’ve probably got one of the best damn bullpens in the National League,” Wohlers said, defending the Braves’ relievers. “You don’t hear about it. Tonight, we had a bad night. I’ll take full responsibility for it.”

Philadelphia 8, Chicago 7--Mark Grace committed two errors on one play in the ninth inning as the Phillies rallied for two runs at Chicago.

“I’m not feeling too good about myself right now,” said Grace, who had three runs batted in overshadowed by his errors.

The Phillies trailed, 7-6, entering the ninth, but Doug Glanville and Gregg Jefferies opened with singles off Rod Beck (1-1). After Scott Rolen popped out, Glanville scored the tying run on Rico Brogna’s sacrifice fly.

Mike Lieberthal followed with a single, moving Jefferies to third. Bobby Abreu, who had two homers earlier in the game, fouled a 1-2 pitch off his right knee and had to leave the game. Ruben Amaro came in and grounded to Grace, who botched the play, then threw the ball to an uncovered first base for his second error as Jefferies scored.

“The ball came up and hit me off the chest,” said Grace, a four-time Gold Glove winner who had made just one error in 51 games prior to Thursday. “I’m sure once [Beck] saw the ball go off me, he probably gave up.”

Arizona 8, San Francisco 7--In a daring move, the Diamondbacks intentionally walked Barry Bonds with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the ninth, then held on at San Francisco.

Gregg Olson worked around six walks in 1 1/3 innings for his sixth save. He struck out Rey Sanchez with the bases loaded to end the eighth, then used some shocking strategy to escape in the ninth.

The Giants loaded the bases with two walks and a hit before Stan Javier had an RBI grounder that made the score 8-6. After pinch-hitter J.T. Snow walked to load the bases, Arizona Manager Buck Showalter ordered Olson to intentionally walk the dangerous Bonds, forcing home a run.

The move worked, barely, when Brent Mayne lined out to right fielder Brent Brede on a 3-2 pitch.

Brian Anderson won for the first time in seven weeks and Andy Fox, Devon White and David Dellucci homered for Arizona in its first visit to San Francisco.