Pedro Dismisses Yankees

Pedro Martinez could not remember such an impressive performance. No one else could, either.

Martinez struck out a record 17 Yankees batters and pitched a one-hitter, allowing only a second-inning home run to Chili Davis in leading the Boston Red Sox over New York 3-1 Friday night.

Martinez (21-4) retired the final 22 batters, set a career high for strikeouts and matched his best low-hit game ever.

"This is as good as it gets," Martinez said. "I felt in command of everything on every count."

"I guess I prevented history," Davis said.

Martinez leads the majors in wins and ERA (2.20) and tops the AL in strikeouts (274), and the sellout crowd of 55,239 got to see why.

"If he throws like this every time out, he'll never lose," said New York's Paul O'Neill.

Never before had 17 Yankees batters fanned in one game, but New York had no chance against Martinez's dazzling assortment of fastballs, curves and changeups.

After the fourth inning, the Yankees hit just one fair ball. Martinez fanned 12 of the 15 final batters.

"I've never seen a game pitched like that," Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said. "I don't know if you guys have."

Besides Davis, Chuck Knoblauch was the only Yankees batter to reach. He was hit by a pitch leading off the first inning, then caught stealing.

"It's probably the best performance I've seen," New York's Derek Jeter said.

And remember, Jeter saw David Cone and David Wells pitch perfect games at Yankee Stadium, and also watched Martinez strike out four former MVPs and home-run champ Mark McGwire at the All-Star game.

Martinez struck out every Yankees hitter at least once. In the ninth, he fanned pinch-hitter Darryl Strawberry with a 97 mph fastball, matching his top speed of the night.

"I had no clue," Strawberry said.

Mike Stanley hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning against former teammate Andy Pettitte (12-11) as the Red Sox won for the 13th time in 17 games.

The Red Sox cut the Yankees' edge in the AL East to 5 1/2 games. Boston held its three-game lead over Oakland, which beat Tampa Bay 7-2, in the wild-card race.

"I'm thinking about holding the lead and getting them in a short series," Martinez said. "I don't believe in the Curse of the Bambino."

The Yankees wore black armbands to honor Hall of Fame pitcher Catfish Hunter, who died Thursday. Flags were flown at half-staff, and highlights of his career were shown on the scoreboard during a moment of silence.

Martinez struck out the side in the fifth, seventh and ninth innings, and fanned at least 10 for the fifth straight start. He became the first right-hander to record six 15-strikeout games in a season since Nolan Ryan in 1974.

Dominican fans rooting for Martinez kept track of his strikeout total in both the upper deck in left field and the right-center field bleachers. When Yankees fans discovered the tote board in left, the "K" placards were ripped up and pieces fluttered down to big cheers.

But Yankees hitters could not touch Martinez. The exception was Davis, who pulled a fastball over the fence in right-center with two outs in the second.

Martinez pitched a one-hitter for Montreal on July 13, 1997, against Cincinnati. In 1995, he pitched nine perfect innings for the Expos at San Diego, but gave up a hit to start the 10th.

"This is just as good, and probably even more dominant," Martinez said.

Stanley, who was 0-for-10 lifetime against Pettitte, had four hits.

Nomar Garciaparra, out since injuring his left ankle Tuesday, drew a leadoff walk and Stanley homered to right field.

Wilton Veras tripled in the Boston ninth off Mike Stanton and scored on Jose Offerman's single.

Notes