Kotchman Gets a 15-Pitch Test

Angel first baseman Casey Kotchman earned several standing ovations from the home fans Wednesday night -- for striking out.

Strike three, however, was the culmination of an extraordinary at-bat. Kotchman, 21, in the 20th game of his major league career, fouled off 11 consecutive pitches during a 15-pitch at-bat against three-time Cy Young Award winner and six-time All-Star Pedro Martinez.

Kotchman, who set a franchise record by opening his major league career with 48 plate appearances before striking out, faced Martinez with two on and two out in the third inning of a 10-7 come-from-behind victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Kotchman took the first three pitches, all balls, then fouled off the next 11. As the number of foul balls increased, so did the applause from a sellout crowd at Angel Stadium, with standing ovations awarded after each of the last four pitches. He waved and missed at the last pitch, a tantalizingly high breaking ball clocked at 78 mph.

The strikeout was the 2,500th of Martinez’s career, making him the 26th pitcher in major league history to reach that milestone.

On May 12, the Dodgers’ Alex Cora endured an 18-pitch at-bat against Matt Clement of the Chicago Cubs, fouling off 14 consecutive pitches before hitting a two-run home run in a 4-0 victory.

Bill Shaikin

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Climbing the Charts

Boston’s Pedro Martinez tied Christy Mathewson for 25th on the all-time strikeout list Wednesday against the Angels. Martinez pitched into the sixth inning and had four strikeouts. Active career strikeout leaders and where they rank (Note: Nolan Ryan is first with 5,714 and Steve Carlton third with 4,136):

*--* Rk. Pitcher Team Strikeouts 2. Roger Clemens Houston Astros 4,180 4. Randy Johnson Arizona Diamondbacks 3,965 16. Greg Maddux Chicago Cubs 2,812 19. Curt Schilling Boston Red Sox 2,612 25. Pedro Martinez Boston Red Sox 2,502

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