Martinez Gets a Win, Red Sox Get a Split

Only a rain delay could knock Pedro Martinez out of a game against Cleveland.

Martinez was once again sharp against the Indians, combining with three relievers on a four-hitter as the Boston Red Sox posted a 6-1 win in the opener of a day-night doubleheader Monday at Boston. The Indians won the second game, 7-1.

Martinez (19-4), who raised his career record to 9-1 against the Indians with a 1.78 earned-run average, continued his pursuit of his second career 20-win season and his fourth Cy Young Award.

He was removed after pitching five innings with the Red Sox leading, 3-0, after a one hour, 12 minute rain delay.

“That kind of sealed the deal,” Boston Manager Grady Little said. “Had we not had the lead, there might have been more discussion on what to do after the rain delay.”

In the second game, Brian Tallet pitched six shutout innings in his major league debut and Travis Fryman hit a three-run homer for the Indians.

Tallet, a 2000 second-round selection out of LSU, split the season in double-A Akron and triple-A Buffalo before his start. The rookie gave up four hits, walked three and fanned one.

“The butterflies started to come and I just told myself to relax,” Tallet said.

“To go out there and give the team six good innings--to keep them at bay--I couldn’t ask for anymore.”

Boston’s loss cut the New York Yankees’ magic number in the AL East to four.

“He had very good composure out there on the mound for a young kid,” Little said.

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Toronto 2, Baltimore 0--Pete Walker pitched four-hit ball for seven innings, and Josh Phelps homered and drove in two runs at Baltimore.

Phelps had an RBI single in the sixth inning and added his 15th homer in the ninth to help the Blue Jays win for the seventh time in eight games.

Baltimore, which has lost 20 of 23, was shut out for the 14th time this season.

Walker (9-4) walked two and struck out four for the Blue Jays, who moved two games ahead of Baltimore for third place in the AL East.

Cliff Politte pitched a perfect eighth inning, and Kelvim Escobar worked the ninth for his 34th save.

The Blue Jays have five shutouts this year.

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Detroit 5, Kansas City 2--Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer for the Tigers at Detroit.

The Tigers won for only the fifth time in 25 games. The Royals, who are 3-11 this month, lead Detroit by four games in the race to avoid last place in the AL Central.

Mike Maroth (6-8) ended a three-start losing streak, giving up two runs and six hits in eight innings. The rookie walked one and struck out four.

Franklyn German pitched one scoreless inning for his first career save.

Darrell May (4-10) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. He is 1-2 in four starts since rejoining the Royal rotation in late August.

Pena hit his 19th home run in the first inning. Hiram Bocachica led off with a single, Robert Fick singled with one out and Pena followed with a drive over the scoreboard in right-center field.

Kansas City got two runs back in the third, but could have had more.

Neifi Perez and A.J. Hinch led off with singles, and Angel Berroa made the score 3-1 with a double to deep left. After Carlos Beltran popped out, Mike Sweeney lifted a fly ball to medium-deep right field. Hinch scored easily, but Fick threw out Berroa at third, ending the inning.

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Seattle 6, Texas 5--Ichiro Suzuki walked with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the 11th inning, scoring Mike Cameron and giving the Mariners the victory over the Rangers.