The Cleveland Indians don't like anything about Pedro Martinez.

They don't like the way he pitches inside. They don't like his efforts to avoid bench-emptying brawls. And they certainly don't like the way he silences their bats.Martinez kept his perfect record against the Indians intact by taking a shutout into the eighth inning Sunday before being ejected for drilling Roberto Alomar in Boston's 2-1 victory.

Several Indians players thought Martinez was intentionally throwing at Einar Diaz, who had doubled twice off him, in the seventh inning. They became angrier in the eighth when Martinez stayed in the dugout after Cleveland's Charles Nagy (1-4) hit Jose Offerman, sending players streaming off both benches and bullpens.

Martinez (5-0) didn't emerge from the safety of the dugout until some Indians players, including Scott Kamieniecki, egged him on.

"I thought everyone in the stadium saw how much guts he has by throwing at a guy's head and then staying in the dugout," Kamieniecki said. "I don't see how his teammates can respect him. Everyone respects his ability -- he's the best pitcher in baseball. But this isn't the same.

"At least he stayed in the dugout. Last year in Baltimore, he hit a guy and ran into the clubhouse."

Martinez struck out 10 in improving to 7-0 against Cleveland and winning his 13th straight decision overall.

YANKEES 7, BLUE JAYS 1: Roger Clemens got his 249th career win and Paul O'Neill hit a three-run double at Yankee Stadium.

Clemens (2-2) struck out eight and allowed one run, seven hits and two walks in seven innings. He moved into 38th place on the career victory list.

The game was scoreless in the fifth when O'Neill hit his double off Toronto's Roy Halladay (2-4). New York broke the game open with a four-run sixth as Shane Spencer hit a two-run homer and Derek Jeter a two-run double.

TIGERS 4, WHITE SOX 3 (12): Bobby Higginson's RBI single off Scott Eyre (1-1) in the 12th lifted host Detroit to its second victory in 13 games.

The Tigers scored twice in the ninth off Bill Simas, pressed into the closer's role for Chicago in part because of Bob Howry's suspension stemming from the brawls with Detroit.

Matt Anderson (1-0) picked up the win by retiring the only batter he faced on one pitch.

RANGERS 8, ORIOLES 4: Reigning MVP Ivan Rodriguez snapped a slump with two homers and a double as Texas ended its four-game losing streak and dealt Baltimore its first home loss since opening day.

The Orioles, who had won nine in a row at Camden Yards, had two errors, three wild pitches and a passed ball.

Rodriguez was mired in a 2-for-22 funk before leading off the sixth with a double and scoring the go-ahead run. He hit a solo homer in the seventh and a two-run shot in the ninth.

Kenny Rogers (3-3) went 7 1-3 innings for the Rangers. Pat Rapp (3-1) took the loss.

ROYALS 6, MARINERS 3: Joe Randa and Mark Quinn homered and Jermaine Dye added an RBI double as the Royals improved their home mark to 10-2.

Dye, the first player to have 10 home runs and 10 doubles before May 1, leads the AL with 11 homers, 12 doubles, 83 total bases, 23 extra-base hits and an .847 slugging percentage.

Quinn hit a two-run homer in the second inning off Gil Meche (0-3), and Randa had a two-run shot in the eighth.

Jose Rosado (2-2) got the win and Ricky Bottalico pitched the ninth for his third save.

ATHLETICS 8, TWINS 2: Tim Hudson struck out 10 batters in 7 2-3 innings and Ben Grieve had four hits for visiting Oakland.

View Comments

The A's pounded 14 hits and staked Hudson (3-2) to a three-run lead before he took the mound.

Sean Bergman (2-1) took the loss.

ANGELS 5, DEVIL RAYS 2: At Anaheim, Kent Bottenfield (2-3) struck out nine in seven strong innings, and Darin Erstad completed a record April.

Erstad, who singled twice and drove in a run, eclipsed the major league record of 47 hits in April, set by Colorado's Dante Bichette in 1998. Erstad is hitting .449 (48-for-107).

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.