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Pedro Martinez walked off the mound after an awful first inning, and it might be a while before he's out there again.
The New York Mets' ace strained his right calf and left after giving up six runs Monday night, and the Philadelphia Phillies went on to romp 13-0.
Martinez was listed as day-to-day. The Mets said the three-time Cy Young winner -- who missed a month earlier this season because of an inflamed right hip -- felt the strain while warming up before the game.
Martinez (9-5) gave up six runs in an opening inning for the first time in his career, the Elias Sports Bureau said. It was his second-shortest start ever -- on June 20, 1995, he got only two outs for Montreal while allowing five runs to Houston.
Cole Hamels (5-6) pitched eight shutout innings as the Phillies kept up their pursuit of the wild-card spot.
Jimmy Rollins, David Dellucci and Shane Victorino homered. Rollins' three-run homer shot was his 18th, setting a single season record for Phillies shortstops.
The Mets still have the best record in the league and lead Philadelphia by 14 games in the NL East. Yet in a season in which most everything has gone right for them, this was not what they wanted to see.
Martinez never looked all that comfortable in his fourth start since coming off the disabled list.
Martinez gave up four hits, hit two batters, walked one and committed a balk. He threw only 30 pitches before Darren Oliver relieved to begin the second inning.
Rollins' 18th homer set a single-season team record for a shortstop, and Cole Hamels (5-6) tossed four-hit ball over eight shutout innings to help keep the Phillies in wild-card contention.
Martinez tested his tender calf on his first batter, running toward first on Rollins' infield hit. Rollins stole second and scored on Chase Utley's single to right.
From there, Martinez unraveled. His errant pickoff attempt sent Utley to second and after a hit and a walk, Martinez hit Aaron Rowand to force in another run.
That prompted a quick visit from pitching coach Rick Peterson -- the first sign something was wrong, and the first opportunity for the Philly faithful to start a derisive "Ped-ro!" chant.
It got worse for Martinez. The Phillies made it 3-0 after first-base umpire Eric Cooper called a balk, and Martinez started a brief argument.
Martinez hit another batter to reload the bases and light-hitting Abraham Nunez lined a double that got past center fielder Carlos Beltran, scoring all three runners for a 6-0 lead.
Martinez threw only 30 pitches before Oliver relieved to begin the second inning.
While Martinez faltered, Hamels was phenomenal. The rookie left-hander had his fourth straight strong start, and overpowered the Mets in his longest outing of the season.
Hamels walked none, stuck out nine and allowed only one runner to reach second, on Lastings Milledge's double leading off the third inning.
After losing two of three to wild card-leading Cincinnati over the weekend, the Phillies desperately need more outings like this from the rest of the staff if they want to make a serious run at the postseason.
The offensive support surely helped. Dellucci hit a solo homer in the third, and Rollins and Victorino had back-to-back shots in the fifth for a 13-0 lead. Rollins passed Granny Hamner, who hit 17 in 1952, for most homers in one season by a Phillies shortstop.
The New York Mets' ace strained his right calf and left after giving up six runs Monday night, and the Philadelphia Phillies went on to romp 13-0.
Martinez was listed as day-to-day. The Mets said the three-time Cy Young winner -- who missed a month earlier this season because of an inflamed right hip -- felt the strain while warming up before the game.
Martinez (9-5) gave up six runs in an opening inning for the first time in his career, the Elias Sports Bureau said. It was his second-shortest start ever -- on June 20, 1995, he got only two outs for Montreal while allowing five runs to Houston.
Cole Hamels (5-6) pitched eight shutout innings as the Phillies kept up their pursuit of the wild-card spot.
Jimmy Rollins, David Dellucci and Shane Victorino homered. Rollins' three-run homer shot was his 18th, setting a single season record for Phillies shortstops.
The Mets still have the best record in the league and lead Philadelphia by 14 games in the NL East. Yet in a season in which most everything has gone right for them, this was not what they wanted to see.
Martinez never looked all that comfortable in his fourth start since coming off the disabled list.
Martinez gave up four hits, hit two batters, walked one and committed a balk. He threw only 30 pitches before Darren Oliver relieved to begin the second inning.
Rollins' 18th homer set a single-season team record for a shortstop, and Cole Hamels (5-6) tossed four-hit ball over eight shutout innings to help keep the Phillies in wild-card contention.
Martinez tested his tender calf on his first batter, running toward first on Rollins' infield hit. Rollins stole second and scored on Chase Utley's single to right.
From there, Martinez unraveled. His errant pickoff attempt sent Utley to second and after a hit and a walk, Martinez hit Aaron Rowand to force in another run.
That prompted a quick visit from pitching coach Rick Peterson -- the first sign something was wrong, and the first opportunity for the Philly faithful to start a derisive "Ped-ro!" chant.
It got worse for Martinez. The Phillies made it 3-0 after first-base umpire Eric Cooper called a balk, and Martinez started a brief argument.
Martinez hit another batter to reload the bases and light-hitting Abraham Nunez lined a double that got past center fielder Carlos Beltran, scoring all three runners for a 6-0 lead.
Martinez threw only 30 pitches before Oliver relieved to begin the second inning.
While Martinez faltered, Hamels was phenomenal. The rookie left-hander had his fourth straight strong start, and overpowered the Mets in his longest outing of the season.
Hamels walked none, stuck out nine and allowed only one runner to reach second, on Lastings Milledge's double leading off the third inning.
After losing two of three to wild card-leading Cincinnati over the weekend, the Phillies desperately need more outings like this from the rest of the staff if they want to make a serious run at the postseason.
The offensive support surely helped. Dellucci hit a solo homer in the third, and Rollins and Victorino had back-to-back shots in the fifth for a 13-0 lead. Rollins passed Granny Hamner, who hit 17 in 1952, for most homers in one season by a Phillies shortstop.
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