Phillies Give Martinez Trouble

The Philadelphia Phillies solved Pedro Martinez and defeated Boston’s ace Saturday. Now mystery surrounds Martinez’s health.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner was uncharacteristically absent from the clubhouse after the Phillies topped the Red Sox, 5-2, and pitching coach Joe Kerrigan hinted at a possible injury.

“We know at this time of year is when he had trouble last year. On June 3 in Philadelphia he missed a start and three starts later he went on the disabled list,” Kerrigan said. “We’ll have to see how it is in a couple of days.”

Omar Daal (7-1) and Martinez (7-2) were locked in a duel, with the Phillies leading 1-0 through seven innings on Marlon Anderson’s leadoff homer in the sixth.

Martinez got no outs in the eighth, facing four batters who all scored as the Phillies went ahead, 5-0.

Boston catcher Scott Hatteberg said Martinez, who threw more off-speed pitches than usual, had trouble getting loose before the game. But Hatteberg didn’t know if Martinez was trying to stretch his shoulder or left side muscle, which bothered him last June.

Martinez’s major league-best earned-run average rose from 1.66 to 2.01, the first time since the end of the 1999 season that it has been over 2.00.

Daal overcame his own physical problem to pitch seven scoreless innings. He said he felt soreness in his right hip when his foot landed before he released the ball on a pitch to Dante Bichette in the second.

Doug Glanville’s bases-loaded eighth-inning single chased Martinez. Jimmy Rollins’ two-run double off Rolando Arrojo made it 4-0 and Travis Lee followed with a sacrifice fly.

Jose Mesa pitched the ninth for his 17th save in 19 opportunities.