ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – A big inning against Pedro Martinez didn’t ease Lou Piniella’s concerns about Tampa Bay’s struggling offense.
The weak-hitting Devil Rays took advantage of a bizarre play that turned their fortune against the Boston ace Saturday and scored three third-inning runs en route to a 3-2 victory over the Red Sox.
“It’s nice to win a ballgame,” said Piniella, whose team won for just the fourth time in 17 games (4-12-1).
“But you’d sure like to see the offense progress. … All in all, most of our pitchers have thrown the ball pretty well. I’d like to see us (score) double digits some time. Right now, we’d settle for five or six.”
Martinez breezed through the first two innings, allowing only a two-out infield single to Jared Sandberg in the second. He got Toby Hall to lead off the third with a grounder to third base, but the ball skipped off the heel of Shea Hillenbrand’s glove and into his jersey for an error.
The runner was also awarded second base because the ball remained lodged in his shirt.
“I’ve never seen anything like that. That was weird. But that’s part of the game. That’s the way the game is,” Martinez said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”
Martinez retired the next two batters before the Devil Rays broke through with three straight hits. Brent Abernathy singled to drive in Hall, then scored ahead of Aubrey Huff on Travis Lee’s two-run double.
“A couple of freaky things happened out there that don’t usually happen to Pedro when he’s pitching,” Boston manager Grady Little said. “But he got his work in. He felt good afterward and he’ll go again on Thursday.”
Martinez allowed three runs on four hits in his third spring start. He struck out four and walked none.
Piniella couldn’t complain about the Devil Rays’ production against Martinez. But what he saw the rest of the way against Alan Embree, Ramiro Mendoza, Mike Timlin and Hector Almonte – no runs, two hits, one walk and four strikeouts – was frustrating.
“We did the same thing the other night,” the manager said. “We scored five in one inning against Detroit, then nothing.”
Devil Rays starter Steve Parris, one of several pitchers competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, allowed three hits in three scoreless innings. Another candidate, Jason Standridge, walked the first batter he faced before giving up a two-run homer to Hillenbrand in the fourth.
Four Tampa Bay pitchers held the Red Sox hitless over the last four innings.
Notes: Tampa Bay LF Carl Crawford missed the game with a strained left forearm. … Monday will be an off day for the Devil Rays. However, right-handers Victor Zambrano, Dewon Brazelton and Doug Waechter will pitch in minor league games.
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