Pedro Martinez returns, Mets win
Pedro Martinez finally pitched his second start of the season after injuring himself in his first start of the season on April 1. Martinez started for the Mets against Barry Zito and the San Francisco Giants and not only did he earn the win but also gathered two hits and an RBI to help his cause.
The 36-year-old Martinez came off the disabled list to make his second 2008 start Tuesday night for the New York Mets in a 9-6 victory over the San Francisco Giants, more than two months after leaving his first start of the year April 1 with a hamstring injury.
“I’m thankful to be back. I hope I can stay a little longer,” Martinez said. “It was a while back (the last outing), especially with all the distractions I had off the field, which made it even tougher. … I still feel like every time I’m given the ball I have the same responsibility, to set an example.”Martinez (1-0) even got to celebrate a pair of singles and an RBI that helped his cause and improved his line, which read: six innings, seven hits, three runs, three walks and three strikeouts on 109 pitches. He received a standing ovation when he walked off the mound after the sixth to finish his night, then was greeted with a hug from catcher Ramon Castro in the dugout. The pitcher sat down and was all smiles.”That’s the way you draw it up,” Mets manager Willie Randolph said. “Pedro, he never ceases to amaze you.”
Although Pedro isn’t the same dominating pitcher he used to be, he still has plenty left in his tank. And obviously still has a lot of his star power. How often does the opposing teams pitcher receive a standing ovation when his team wins on the road? A large portion of the crowd were in fact Mets fans but still that’s impressive. Don’t argue with me!
