Martinez Strikes Out 17 in One-Hitter

Pedro Martinez could not remember such an impressive performance. No one else could, either.

Martinez struck out a record 17 New York Yankee batters and pitched a one-hitter Friday night, giving up only a second-inning home run to Chili Davis in leading the Boston Red Sox to a 3-1 victory.

Martinez (21-4) retired the final 22 batters, set a career high for strikeouts and matched his best low-hit game.

“This is as good as it gets,” Martinez said. “I felt in command of everything on every count.”

After the home run by Davis, he did not allow another runner in completing a near-perfect effort.

“I guess I prevented history,” Davis said.

Martinez leads the majors in wins and earned-run average (2.20) and tops the American League in strikeouts (274), and the sellout crowd of 55,239 got to see why.

“If he throws like this every time out, he’ll never lose,” said the Yankees’ Paul O’Neill.

Never before had 17 Yankee batters fanned in one game, but New York had no chance against Martinez’s dazzling assortment of fastballs, curves and changeups.

After the fourth inning, the Yankees hit only one fair ball. Martinez fanned 12 of the 15 final batters.

“I’ve never seen a game pitched like that,” Red Sox Manager Jimy Williams said.

Besides Davis, Chuck Knoblauch was the only Yankees batter to reach base. He was hit by a pitch leading off the first, then caught stealing.

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Pedro’s Big Night

* Martinez struck out 17, most against Yankees, and walked none.

* He became the first right-hander with six 15-strikeout games in a season since Nolan Ryan in 1974.

* He retired the final 22 batters.

* The Yankees hit only one fair ball after the fourth inning.