ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – It was only spring training, so Pedro Martinez and Shea Hillenbrand could share a good laugh about the play that unraveled Martinez’s third inning for the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Leading off, Tampa Bay Devil Ray catcher Toby Hall hit a ground ball to third base that bobbled up and disappeared down Hillenbrand’s jersey.
The umpires called the play a dead ball that entitled Hall to an extra base and awarded him second. Later, with two outs, the Devil Rays knocked out three straight hits, tagging Martinez with three unearned runs.
That proved the difference in a 3-2 Devil Rays win that dropped Boston’s star pitcher to 0-2 in spring training.
“I was looking around, and I kept wondering, ‘where’s the ball?”‘ Martinez laughed afterwards. “All of a sudden he touches himself on the belly and he finds the ball there. I said, what are you doing, what’s up with that weird thing, weird play?”
Martinez may be in a more serious mood two weeks from Monday when he’s scheduled to start opening day against the same Devil Rays, a few blocks away at Tropicana Field.
But overall, Martinez was pleased with his performance. He went just three innings instead of the expected four, but threw 52 pitches, just below the target of 55. He gave up four hits, struck out four and walked none.
And he didn’t hold anything back to save for the Devil Rays on opening day.
“No, no I showed them everything and I do what I have to do out there,” he said. “Get my pitches over, work on some of the pitches, I even threw at one point five change-ups in a row – just working, working on it, working, until I finally got what I want.”
Little said Martinez, who will throw again Thursday, looked strong.
“He’s throwing the ball well and he made some good pitches,” Little said. “He’ll be fine.”
As for the Hillenbrand play, Little said it was the right
call.
“I thought (Hillenbrand) was going to grab the ball and throw him out, but he couldn’t find it,” Little said. “It was extraordinary.”
Hall was first credited with a hit and a one-base error, but the call was later changed to a two-base error.
The umpires apparently invoked the “lodging” rule that calls a play dead when it gets stuck.
Hillenbrand wasn’t available for comment. But he could take solace in another strong day at the plate: 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, and a spring training average that’s again at .500.
Hillenbrand was at third Saturday after making a spectacular catch at first in Friday’s game, and drew praise from Little for not letting himself get distracted by trade talk.
“As long as he’s swinging that bat he’ll be playing a lot,” Little said.
After the disappearing grounder, Martinez retired two batters before giving up the three hits. But he said broken rhythm after the play wasn’t to blame – the Devil Rays just hit some good pitches.
“The second-baseman that got that hit (Abernathy), it was a fastball in,” Martinez said. “He just kind of laid on it and got a line drive. You have to tip your hand and just … continue to pitch. Lee hit a good change-up and Huff hit a curve ball.”
Martinez will likely get two more starts this spring. But he may never see another play like the one he saw Saturday.
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