Pedro Martínez won his 23rd game yesterday, pitching eight innings and allowing only six hits, while striking out 12 batters. The Boston Red Sox defeated the Baltimore Orioles 5-3. The Boston Red Sox could make the playoffs. They need another victory in the next six games or a defeat of the Oakland As to end the regular season as the second best in the American League. Yesterday, Martínez set a personal record of 312 strike outs, seven more than the 305 strike outs of 1997 when he was playing with the Montreal Expos, in the season when he won the Cy Young award. This is Martínez’s 19th game of striking out 10 or more batters. Martínez is not scheduled to play another game until the playoffs against the Cleveland Indians. Martínez now has a record of 23-4, ERA 2.08. He is the strongest contender to win the Cy Young award in the American League.
