Martinez Doesn’t Fear Yankees

Pedro Martinez joked that after 83 seasons without a championship, the Boston Red Sox might have a new ally.

“Maybe the Bambino was looking out for me today. Would you believe that?” he said after pitching the Red Sox to a 3-1 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday night at Boston.

“Babe Ruth was one of the greatest men for the community. I don’t think he would want to curse not even his worst enemy.”

Martinez won his seventh decision in a row to open the season, matching last year’s win total. His seventh win last season also came against the Yankees, 3-0 on May 29 when he improved to 7-1 with his first victory over them in more than a year. He showed little tolerance for those who say “The Curse of the Bambino” kept the Red Sox from winning the World Series.

“I don’t believe in curses,” he said then. “Wake up the Bambino, maybe I’ll drill him.”

The Red Sox (31-13) lead the American League East by two games over the Yankees (31-17). Boston has the AL’s best record, while New York lost the second spot to Seattle, which won Thursday.

Martinez struck out 10 in seven innings, giving up one run, four hits and two walks.

He started last season at 6-0 but finished 7-3 without a victory after his comments about the Bambino. He was troubled for much of the season by shoulder problems.

Seattle 7, Tampa Bay 3--James Baldwin settled down after a rocky first inning to shut down the Devil Rays at Seattle and help the Mariners end a four-game losing streak.

Ichiro Suzuki and Ruben Sierra had three hits apiece and John Olerud hit a three-run homer for the Mariners, who broke out of a slump with 11 hits. Seattle batted only .202 in the losing streak.

The Devil Rays had won a season-high four games in a row.

Baltimore 11, Oakland 3--Chris Singleton and Marty Cordova each homered and drove in three runs as the Orioles beat up Mark Mulder at Oakland.

Singleton extended his season-high hitting streak to 12 games with a three-run homer in the second inning off Mulder (2-4), who has lost three in a row since returning from the disabled list after recovering from a strain in his left forearm.

Mulder, who won 21 games last year and finished second in Cy Young Award voting, has given up 15 earned runs in 14 innings over his last three starts.

Texas at Kansas City--Thursday night’s game between the Rangers and Royals was rained out and will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday.