N.Y. Mets 1, Arizona 0 (13 inn.)

Endy Chavez hit an RBI single in the bottom of the 13th inning Wednesday night to give the New York Mets a 1-0 win over Arizona. The lone run was scored by Jose Valentin, who like Chavez, had two hits for the Mets (32-20), who won twice in the three-game series. The winner was Duaner Sanchez (3-0). Mets starter Pedro Martinez scattered five hits over eight innings with no walks and eight strikeouts. Craig Counsell had two of the eight hits for the Diamondbacks (30-22), who have dropped three of their last four games. The loser was Jason Grimsley (1-2). Arizona starter Brandon Webb gave up four hits in his seven scoreless innings with one walk and five strikeouts.

Pedro backs off retirement talk a bit - MLB

Pedro Martinez told ESPNdeportes.com his career figures to end after his contract expires in 2008 - no great surprise, considering the ace has battled toe, hip and shoulder discomfort during his brief Mets career.
But when confronted with the Internet report on Saturday, the ace was noncommittal, saying: "I'm going to let God dictate that."
Though the intense coverage of his right big toe has subsided since every adjustment of his reconfigured Nike cleat was chronicled during spring training, Martinez still battles discomfort. It's a major reason why the Mets give Martinez extra days of rest - such as having started him Friday against the Marlins rather than against the contending Phillies the previous day, when he would have been on standard rest.
The Mets appear poised to give Martinez an extra day of rest before four of his nine remaining first-half starts. (As a byproduct, he should be pitching at Fenway Park against the Red Sox on June 28.)
ESPNdeportes.com reporter Enrique Rojas quoted Martinez, who got married over the winter, as saying:
"I've sacrificed my life, my good years, to baseball. I want to go home while I still have the energy to spend time with my family. Work is good and it dignifies men, but I want to enjoy the fruits of my efforts. I plan to enjoy a nice retirement and a healthy life after baseball. I don't want to leave the game on crutches or in a wheelchair without having dedicated myself to my children and my family.
"I've done a lot in a short period of time, and now my body must pay the price. A lot of people get startled by the fact that I'm 34, but the thing is that in seven years I worked more than 95 percent of the pitchers in MLB. . . . I'll most likely retire after this contract, but it'll depend on how I'm feeling at the time. And if I'm feeling then like I am now, my Dominican fans and my family wouldn't forgive me if I don't retire.
"After every game, my foot swells and I have to go through an intense process of massages and treatment for four days to prevent the swelling. The only day I don't work my foot is the day before the game."
Martinez had little interest in discussing the topic when approached yesterday. He loathes talking about his next start, much less what might happen in 2 1/2 seasons.
He will turn 37 during the 2008 World Series.
Before addressing game-related questions following his outing Friday against the Marlins (his first loss this season), Martinez had engaged Rojas in an animated discussion. He repeatedly has stated his dislike of ESPN, with which he has had a long-running feud predating his Mets arrival.

Pedro Martinez: Mets Squander Excellent Start Saturday

Update: Martinez tossed seven scoreless innings and recorded eight strikeouts in Saturday's loss to the Yankees.

Recommendation: Martinez was the victim of a meltdown by Billy Wagner in the ninth. The Yankees couldn't figure out Martinez on Saturday, recording just four hits, but the Bronx Bombers chased Wagner out of the game after scoring four runs on a pair of hits and three walks.

Mets drop game, series to Brewers - Martinez

Martinez strikes out 10 to take over Major League lead

An optimist would say the Mets were resilent.
A pessimist might say they failed to capitalize on many chances in their 6-5, 10-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.
New York came back from late deficits of 4-2 and 5-4, but left 13 runners on base and went 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
"There's no doubt we had some opportunities to drive in some runs," manager Willie Randolph said.
The Mets left runners on base in every inning except the first but showed once again they could rebound from late deficits.
"We continue to bounce back," David Wright said. "In the short term, it doesn't look good losing two out of three.
"But in the long term, that's the attitude that we have to have: No matter what the score is, no matter who were are playing, we have the ability to bounce back."
The team has Monday off before opening a three-game series with NL Central-leading St. Louis.
"We've got to go to St. Louis and try to win two out of three," said Ramon Castro, who was 1-for-4 with a walk, but left four runners on base. "We can't go back. We've got to go forward."
The Mets are 2-4 on their nine-game road trip, losing two out of three to both Philadelphia and Milwaukee, dropping their lead to one game over the Phillies in the NL East.
"It's part of the ebb-and-flow of the season," Randolph said. "No one expects to have a script laid out. You just keep playing. We still feel good about ourselves, no matter what."
Pedro Martinez allowed four runs on two home runs in seven innings, but struck out 10 to give him 62 on the season, moving him past the Minnesota Twins' Johan Santana and into the Major League lead. Martinez, though, has given up eight home runs in 53 2/3 innings.
"It seems like every time I make a mistake, it's a home run," Martinez said. "It's not a double, it's not a hit, it's not a triple. It's a home run.
"I think they just gear up really hard," he said. "That's probably the reason. I don't know. I'm making good pitches, too, when I have to make them. When I don't make them, home run."

Baseball Today

Pedro Martinez looks to run his record to 6-0 when New York plays the Phillies, who have won eight straight.
STARS
Sunday
-Johan Santana, Twins, pitched seven innings and struck out 11 for his third straight win in Minnesota's 4-2 win over Detroit.
-Khalil Greene, Padres, went 4-for-4 with four RBIs in a 6-3 win over the Cubs.
-Casey Janssen, Blue Jays, pitched seven plus innings of one-hit ball in Toronto's 3-1 victory over Los Angeles.
-Aaron Cook, Rockies, pitched into the ninth inning and allowed two runs to lead Colorado to a 5-3 win over Houston.
-Jason Varitek, Red Sox, hit his second career grand slam to help Boston rout Baltimore 10-3.
-Adam Dunn, Reds, went 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBIs to power Cincinnati past Arizona 9-8.

Pirates Notebook: Mets' starters pose much tougher test

The Pirates faced rookie starting pitchers Sean Marshall and Angel Guzman the past two days here.
Beginning tonight in New York, the opposition's starters become -- at the very least -- far more familiar names.
The Mets are scheduled to start Pedro Martinez tonight and Tom Glavine tomorrow night.
Seems like a daunting task for the Pirates.
"I don't think it's any more daunting than some of the challenges we have faced up to this point," manager Jim Tracy said. "We have seen some awfully good pitching."
True. They've seen Mark Mulder and Chris Carpenter of St. Louis. Roy Oswalt of Houston. Doug Davis and Chris Capuano of Milwaukee.
Martinez and Glavine, however, seem a cut above those guys in stature.
Martinez is 5-0, including his 200th career win April 17 against Atlanta.
Tracy was Montreal's bench coach when Martinez pitched for the Expos.
MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT
Tuesday's results
INDIANAPOLIS (14-12) beat Toledo, 5-4. LHP Tom Gorzelanny (1-2, 3.73) allowed two runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two. C Ryan Doumit (.318) went 2 for 4 with a two-run double and a triple in the final game of a rehabilitation stint. He also had a passed ball and allowed two runners to steal. 3B Jose Bautista (.270) went 2 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs.
ALTOONA (17-8) won at Erie, 6-1. RHP Jason Roach (2-2, 1.59) pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed four hits. SS Javier Guzman (.239) went 2 for 5 with an RBI.
LYNCHBURG (9-15) lost to Kinston, 7-3. RHP Derek Hankins (1-2, 6.20) allowed six runs in four-plus innings. RHP Dustin Craig (2.93) pitched three scoreless innings of relief.
HICKORY (10-14) lost to Greensboro, 6-4. RHP Joe Bauserman (1-2, 5.82) allowed six runs in five innings. RF Brad Corley (.226) went 3 for 4 with two RBIs. CF Andrew McCutchen (.340) went 1 for 4 with his 16th RBI.

"He doesn't throw as hard as he used to, but he still has the same changeup," Tracy said. "He's still the same knowledgeable guy as to how to pitch. He can still strike you out because he can throw the fastball accurately to both sides of the plate and he has a devastating changeup and he still has the curveball.

NY Mets 4, Atlanta 3

Pedro Martinez picked up his 200th career victory, pitching into the seventh inning, and the New York Mets defeated the Atlanta Braves, 4-3, in the opener of a three-game series at Shea Stadium.
Martinez (3-0) allowed just three runs on six hits, striking out eight and walking two, in 6 2/3 innings as he helped the Mets continue their best start in franchise history. The veteran right-hander has won his last three starts to improve to 200-84 in his career.
"It's a great accomplishment," said Martinez. "I can reflect on it now. This is probably one of the biggest things that has happened in my career. From the first day, all the doubts, all the second guessing my body type, it's something I should enjoy and reflect on the rest of my life."