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  Saturday, Oct. 2 7:05pm ET
Boston 8, Baltimore 0
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

BALTIMORE (AP) _ Pedro Martinez pitched a scoreless inning in his final tuneup before the playoffs, backing a fine performance on the mound by his brother Ramon, and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Baltimore Orioles 8-0 Saturday night.

Damon Buford hit his third career grand slam, and Mike Stanley and Lou Merloni hit two-run homers for the Red Sox, who have already secured a wild-card berth and now are focused on preparing for Wednesday's playoff opener against Cleveland or Texas.

Pedro Martinez will start for the Red Sox in the first game of the best-of-5 series. On this night, however, he was just looking for a little workout.

After Ramon Martinez (2-1) pitched six innings of two-hit ball, Pedro entered in the seventh. He hit B.J. Surhoff on the foot with a pitch, struck out Albert Belle and got Derrick May to hit a line drive to first baseman Stanley that turned into an unassisted double play.

The fastball he blew past Belle was the 313th strikeout for Martinez, the overwhelming favorite to win the AL Cy Young award.

It was the 13th time the Martinez brothers have pitched in the same game. The previous 12 times occurred with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who has a swollen tendon in his right wrist, rejoined the Red Sox after being examined by the team physician Friday. He will be sidelined until the playoffs as a precautionary measure.

Garciaparra, who was hit by a pitch from the Orioles' Al Reyes on Sept. 25, said there was "no question" he will be ready for action Wednesday.

The Orioles had a star player return to their clubhouse, too. Cal Ripken, who underwent back surgery last week, visited with his teammates before watching the game in a luxury suite with his family.

"I'm pleasantly surprised. I'm recovering pretty good," said Ripken, who showed off a six-inch scar.

Stanley broke a scoreless duel between Ramon Martinez and Doug Johns (6-4) by connecting on a 2-1 pitch after John Valentin led off the sixth with a double.

Butch Huskey then singled and Merloni drove an 0-2 pitch over the wall in center, his first homer of the season and second of his career.

That was enough to make Ramon Martinez a winner in his second start since undergoing shoulder surgery in June 1998. He walked two and struck out three.

Buford connected off Gabe Molina in the ninth, sending a drive into the left-field seats. It was his sixth homer, the first since Aug. 25.

Notes: Charles Johnson went 0-for-2 against Ramon Martinez and is 0-for-13 lifetime against him. ... Boston surpassed last year's win total with its 93rd victory of the season. The Orioles have lost six of their last eight.

 


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RECAPS
Toronto 7
Cleveland 3

Seattle 10
Oakland 2

NY Yankees 3
Tampa Bay 2

Boston 8
Baltimore 0

Chi. White Sox 6
Minnesota 1

Detroit 4
Kansas City 3

Anaheim 15
Texas 3

Florida 1
Atlanta 0

Milwaukee 10
Cincinnati 6

Chicago Cubs 6
St. Louis 3

San Francisco 16
Colorado 7

Houston 3
Los Angeles 0

Montreal 13
Philadelphia 3

NY Mets 7
Pittsburgh 0

Arizona 7
San Diego 5