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  Tuesday, Mar. 7 1:05pm ET
Boston 13, Pittsburgh 2
 
  RECAP

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) _ Ramon Martinez pitched two scoreless innings and Trot Nixon had three hits as the Boston Red Sox broke the Pittsburgh Pirates' three-game winning streak, 13-2 win Tuesday.

Martinez, productive late last season after spending most of it coming back from shoulder surgery in June 1998, started and struck out three, allowing a hit and a walk in his first spring appearance.

Pittsburgh starter Todd Ritchie, whose 3.49 ERA ranked sixth in the National League last season, got the loss after Boston took a 3-0 lead in his three innings.

The Red Sox batted around in the fifth and sixth, scoring five runs in each inning. The Pirates' only runs came on John Vander Wal's two-run homer in the seventh off Dario Perez.

Nixon went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI and is 8-for-11 this spring. Marty Cordova, Wilton Veras and Manny Alexander each drove in two runs for Boston.

Martinez is Boston's No. 2 starter behind his brother Pedro after going 2-1 with a 3.05 ERA in four starts last season. He also made two starts in the playoffs.

``I feel much better'' than last year, he said. ``I'm pain free. I can reach back and get my fastball. Right now, I don't really want to go too far because this is only my first game.''

Martinez allowed a two-out double to Warren Morris, one of Pittsburgh's five hits, before ending the first by striking out Vander Wal. In the second, he struck out Wilfredo Cordero, walked Ivan Cruz, then got a double play when he struck out Dale Sveum and Cruz was caught trying to steal second.

 


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