Editing Pedro Martínez (section)

==Memorable games==

===Imperfect hit-by-pitch===
On April 13, 1994, in his second start as a Montreal Expo, Martínez lost a [[Perfect game (baseball)|perfect game]] with one out in the eighth inning when he hit Cincinnati's [[Reggie Sanders]] with a pitch. An angered Sanders charged the mound, and threw Martínez to the ground, before both teams cleared the benches and broke up the fight. Sanders was later ridiculed in the press for assuming that a pitcher would abandon a perfect game in order to hit a batter intentionally. Martínez allowed a leadoff single in the ninth inning, breaking up his no-hitter, and was removed for reliever [[John Wetteland]] (who loaded the bases, then allowed two [[Sacrifice fly|sacrifice flies]], thus saddling Martínez with a no-decision).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MON/MON199404130.shtml|title=April 13, 1994 Cincinnati Reds at Montreal Expos Play by Play and Box Score|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=April 13, 1994|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> Three years later, in 1997, Martínez had a [[one-hitter (baseball)|one-hitter]] against the [[1997 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]]; the one hit came in the 5th inning.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN199707130.shtml|title=July 13, 1997 Montreal Expos at Cincinnati Reds Box Score and Play by Play|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=July 13, 1997|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref>

===Nine perfect innings===
On June 3, 1995, while pitching for Montreal, he retired the first 27 [[1995 San Diego Padres season|Padres]] hitters he faced. However, the score was still tied 0–0 at that point and the game went into [[extra innings]]. The [[1995 Montreal Expos season|Expos]] scored a run in the top of the 10th, but Martínez surrendered a [[Double (baseball)|double]] to the 28th batter he faced, [[Bip Roberts]]. Expos manager [[Felipe Alou]] then removed Martínez from the game, bringing in reliever [[Mel Rojas]], who retired the next three batters.<ref>{{cite web|title=Box Score|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN199506030.shtml|work=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> Martínez officially recorded neither a perfect game nor a [[no-hitter]]. Until 1991, the rules would have judged it differently; however, a rule clarification specified that perfect games, even beyond nine innings, must remain perfect until the game is completed for them to be considered perfect. This retroactively decertified many no-hit games, including [[Ernie Shore]]'s perfect relief stint in 1917 and [[Harvey Haddix]]'s legendary [[Harvey Haddix's near-perfect game|12 perfect innings]] in 1959 (lost in the 13th).

===All-Star strikeout streak===
Martínez was selected as the starting pitcher for the [[American League]] [[1999 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] team in 1999. The game, on July 13, 1999, was at [[Fenway Park]], Martínez's home field. Martínez struck out [[Barry Larkin]], [[Larry Walker]], and [[Sammy Sosa]] consecutively in the first inning. He then struck out [[Mark McGwire]] leading off the 2nd, becoming the first pitcher to begin an All-Star game by striking out the first four batters. (The National League's [[Brad Penny]] matched the feat in 2006.) The next batter, [[Matt Williams (third baseman)|Matt Williams]], managed to reach first base from an error by [[Roberto Alomar]]. Martínez then proceeded to strike out [[Jeff Bagwell]] while Williams was caught stealing.

===Yankee Stadium one-hitter===
Martínez again came close to a perfect game on September 10, 1999, when he beat the [[1999 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]], 3–1. He faced just 28 batters while striking out 17 and walking none (Martínez hit the Yankees' first batter, [[Chuck Knoblauch]], but he was then [[caught stealing]]). Only a solo [[home run]] by [[Chili Davis]] separated Martínez from a [[no-hitter]]. The Davis home run came in the second inning, eliminating any suspense, but sportswriter [[Thomas Boswell]] called it the best game ever pitched at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/baseball/longterm/1999/playoffs/lcs/articles/boz17.htm|title=In Boston, Martínez Exhibits a Mound of Courage|author=Boswell, Thomas |date=October 17, 1999|newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> Martínez retired the last 22 batters he faced in a row during this game. Over the last {{frac|3|2|3}} innings, (11 batters), Martínez threw 53 consecutive pitches without allowing a base runner, and without a single ball being put in play. (Nine strikeouts, two foul-ball fly outs.) The Yankees managed only one fair ball out of his last 70 pitches after the fourth inning.

===Hitless clincher===
On October 11, 1999, in Game 5 of the ALDS, [[Charles Nagy]] started for Cleveland and [[Bret Saberhagen]] started for Boston, both on only three days rest. Boston jumped out to a quick two-run lead in the top of the first inning, but Cleveland responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. The hitting continued, knocking Saberhagen out of the game in the second inning having allowed five runs, and then Nagy out of the game after only finishing only three innings and allowing eight runs. Going into the fourth inning, manager [[Jimy Williams]] opted to replace [[Derek Lowe]] with the ailing Martínez, who had left Game 1 with a back injury. This decision would prove to be wise, as Martínez threw six hitless innings in relief to win and clinch the ALDS.<ref>{{cite web|title=Box Score|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10110CLE1999.htm|work=Retrosheet.org}}</ref>

===1999 ALCS===
Game 3 of the [[1999 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]] was the long-anticipated matchup between Martínez and Roger Clemens. The Red Sox scored first. After a leadoff triple by Offerman, Valentin homered to put the Red Sox ahead 2–0. The onslaught continued as the Red Sox scored in all but two innings. Clemens was done in the third inning and the Red Sox would go on to win 13–1 and make the series two games to one. When Clemens was knocked out, Red Sox fans chanted "Where is Roger?" and then a response chant of "In the Shower". Martínez struck out 12 Yankees in seven scoreless innings and allowing just two hits, to beat Red Sox nemesis [[Roger Clemens]] and the [[1999 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] in Game 3, handing the World Champions their only loss of the 1999 postseason. Martínez finished 1999 with a streak of 17 scoreless innings in the playoffs.

===Faceoff vs. Roger Clemens on ESPN===
On May 28, 2000, Martínez and [[Roger Clemens]] had a dramatic duel on [[ESPN]]'s "[[Sunday Night Baseball]]" telecast. Both pitchers excelled, combining to allow only nine hits and one walk while striking out 22. A scoreless game was finally broken up in the 9th inning by [[Trot Nixon]]'s home run off Clemens. In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees loaded the bases against a tiring Martínez, but New York could not score, as Martínez completed the shutout.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA200005280.shtml|title=May 28, 2000 Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees Play by Play and Box Score|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=May 28, 2000|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref>

===Another close call===
On August 29, 2000, Martínez took a no-hitter into the 9th against the [[2000 Tampa Bay Devil Rays season|Tampa Bay Devil Rays]], losing it on a leadoff single by [[John Flaherty]]. Martínez had begun the night by hitting the leadoff batter, [[Gerald Williams (baseball)|Gerald Williams]], in the hand. Williams started towards first base before charging the mound and knocking down Martínez; in the scrum, Williams was tackled by Boston catcher [[Jason Varitek]]. Martínez then retired the next 24 hitters in a row until allowing Flaherty's single, and finished with a one-hitter. He had 13 strikeouts and no walks in the game; the Flaherty single would have broken up a perfect game, if not for the leadoff hit batsman.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TBA/TBA200008290.shtml|title=August 29, 2000 Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Devil Rays Play by Play and Box Score|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 29, 2000|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> Martínez never threw an official no-hitter. However, he has professed a lack of interest in the matter: "I think my career is more interesting than one game."

===Martínez vs. Zimmer===
In the testy Game 3 of the 2003 [[2003 American League Championship Series|ALCS]], after allowing single runs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings, Martínez hit Yankees [[right fielder]] [[Karim García]] near the shoulders with a pitch, sparking a shouting match between Martínez and the New York bench. Directing his attention at Yankees catcher [[Jorge Posada]], Martínez jabbed a finger into the side of his own head, which some, including an enraged Yankee [[coach (baseball)|bench coach]] [[Don Zimmer]], interpreted as a threatened [[beanball]]. Emotions remained high in the bottom of the inning, which was led off by Boston slugger [[Manny Ramírez]]. Ramírez became irate over a high pitch from [[Roger Clemens]], and both benches cleared. During the ensuing commotion, the 72-year-old Zimmer ran onto the field and started straight for Martínez; as he charged, Martínez grabbed Zimmer by the head and threw him to the ground.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsuYIN7y8Ew  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/AsuYIN7y8Ew| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live| title=ALCS Gm3: Tempers flare, benches clear in Fenway after this dirty attack on an old man. (Martinze/Zimmer incident at 1:10 into video) | publisher=YouTube/MLB | date=April 13, 2013 | access-date=October 21, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Later, Martínez claimed that he was not indicating that he would hit Posada in the head, but that he would remember what Posada was saying to him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10110BOS2003.htm|title=Retrosheet Boxscore: New York Yankees 4, Boston Red Sox 3|work=Retrosheet|date=October 11, 2003|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> In 2009, Martínez stated that he regretted the incident but denied being at fault. Zimmer did not give much credence to Martínez's statements.<ref>{{cite web|date=October 29, 2009|title=Zimmer combative, apologetic|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4603619|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=29 April 2015}}</ref> Martínez wrote in 2015 that the altercation with Zimmer was his only regret in his entire career.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=April 29, 2015|title=Pedro Martinez: Pushing Don Zimmer 'my only regret' in entire career|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2015/04/29/pedro-martinez-don-zimmer-yankees-red-sox-brawl|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=29 April 2015}}</ref>

===Grady Little's visit===
Martínez was also on the mound for Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS versus the [[2003 New York Yankees season|Yankees]]. With the Red Sox ahead 5–2 at the start of the 8th inning, a tiring Martínez pitched his way into trouble. He was visited on the mound by manager [[Grady Little]], but was left in to pitch, in a controversial non-move. The Yankees tied the score against Martínez in that inning on four successive hits, leading to a dramatic extra-inning, series-ending victory for New York, costing Grady Little his job with the Red Sox as his contract was not renewed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10160NYA2003.htm|title=Retrosheet Boxscore: New York Yankees 6, Boston Red Sox 5|publisher=Retrosheet|date=October 16, 2003|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref>

===World Series debut===
After a comparatively lackluster season in 2004 (though still a solid season by general standards), Martínez got the win in Game 3 of the [[2004 World Series|World Series]]. He shut out the [[2004 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] through seven innings, recording his final 14 outs consecutively in what would turn out to be his last game for Boston.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10260SLN2004.htm|title=Retrosheet Boxscore: Boston Red Sox 4, St. Louis Cardinals 1|publisher=Retrosheet|date=October 26, 2004|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref>

===Mets===
With the Mets, on April 10, 2005, at [[Turner Field]], Martínez outdueled [[John Smoltz]], pitching a two-hit, one-run, complete game en route to his first Mets victory. On August 14, 2005, against the [[2005 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Dodgers]], he pitched {{fraction|7|1|3}} hitless innings, but ended up losing the no-hitter and the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN200508140.shtml|title=August 14, 2005 New York Mets at Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score and Play by Play|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 14, 2005|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref>

===Return to Fenway===
In June 2006, the [[2006 New York Mets season|Mets]] played an interleague series against the [[2006 Boston Red Sox season|Red Sox]], which was Martínez's first appearance at [[Fenway Park]] since leaving the team. The Red Sox gave their former ace a two-minute video tribute on June 27, but showed no courtesies to Martínez the following night. In his June 28, 2006 start, Martínez lasted only three innings, and was rocked for eight runs (six earned) on seven hits, losing his worst game as a Met just before going onto the [[disabled list]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS200606280.shtml|title=June 28, 2006 New York Mets at Boston Red Sox Play by Play and Box Score|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=June 28, 2006|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> It was Martínez's only career appearance against the Red Sox, the only Major League team against which he did not record a victory.

===Who's Your Daddy?===
In both the [[2004 ALCS]] and the [[2009 World Series]], Martínez was greeted with the chant "[[Who's your daddy?]]" from [[New York Yankees]] fans whenever Martínez was pitching due to his statement on September 24, 2004, saying, "I mean what can I say? Just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Golen |first1=Jimmy |title=Yankees get to tiring Pedro...again |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ithaca-journal-yankees-get-to-tiring/133818785/ |access-date=October 21, 2023 |work=The Ithaca Journal |date=September 25, 2004 |pages=19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sylver |first1=Sean |title=Ten Years Gone: Pedro Martinez calls the Yankees his daddy |url=https://bosoxinjection.com/2014/09/24/ten-years-gone-pedro-martinez-calls-yankees-daddy/ |access-date=October 21, 2023 |work=BoSox Injection |date=September 24, 2014}}</ref>