Martinez Cruises Past Tigers to All-Star Break

Pedro Martinez is headed in the right direction again--back to his Dominican Republic home for a rest after winning his fourth consecutive start.

Healthy at midseason for the first time in four years, Martinez gave up one hit and struck out eight in five innings, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers, 8-0, Saturday at Fenway Park in Boston.

Martinez planned to fly south to relax during the All-Star break.

“It’s great the way I am going home now and sit down, relax and swim a little bit,” he said with a smile. “Just be at my house and chill, play with my flowers.”

Martinez (11-2) was selected by New York Yankee Manager Joe Torre for the All-Star game Tuesday at Milwaukee, but declined so he could rest and take care of personal matters. He’ll have more than a week before his next scheduled start July 14 at Toronto.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner continues to dominate. In his last four starts, he has given up four runs, 23 hits and four walks, and struck out 42 in 28 innings.

Discounting his first start of the season, when he gave up seven earned runs in three innings, his earned-run average is 2.24, which would lead the American League.

Martinez was helped by a five-run first inning against Mike Maroth (1-3) that was highlighted by Doug Mirabelli’s three-run homer. Maroth took Jeff Weaver’s spot after Weaver was traded to the Yankees early Saturday.

Kansas City 4, Oakland 3--Michael Tucker hit a home run that turned into a single because of a baserunning mistake, but he still drove in the winning run at Oakland.

Joe Randa singled to left to lead off the 10th against Billy Koch (5-1). One out later, Tucker’s hit sailed over the fence in center field, but he passed pinch-runner Mike Caruso between first base and second base. Caruso thought the ball was caught by center fielder Terrence Long, who made a leaping stab at the hit, and turned back toward first. Tucker was credited with a run-scoring single and was out on the way to second.

Toronto 8, New York 3--Steve Parris earned his first victory of the season and the Blue Jays ended their six-game losing streak. Parris (1-2), making his fifth start since returning from shoulder surgery, held the host Yankees to four hits over the first seven innings--two singles each by Nick Johnson and Robin Ventura.

Chicago 7, Cleveland 3--Jeff Liefer, starting in place of struggling Frank Thomas, hit a three-run homer at Chicago and Mark Buehrle got his 12th victory.

After Magglio Ordonez walked and Paul Konerko was hit by a pitch, Liefer hit his second homer to end a 2-2 tie in the sixth.

Baltimore 7, Texas 5--Melvin Mora hit a tiebreaking, two-run triple in the ninth inning at Arlington, Texas, to end the Rangers’ four-game winning streak.