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| | Monday, May 1 Pedro says he doesn't deserve punishment | |||||
| Associated Press BOSTON -- Pedro Martinez doesn't think he should be suspended for hitting Roberto Alomar with a pitch. After all, Martinez says, he was only doing his job. "They shouldn't suspend me," he said Monday. "I didn't fight. I didn't do anything. I do what I have to do for my team." No disciplinary action has been taken since a brushback pitch by Martinez sent Cleveland's Einar Diaz sprawling in the seventh inning of Boston's 2-1 win Sunday. In the top of the eighth, Charles Nagy hit Jose Offerman in the side with a pitch. As Offerman took a few steps toward the mound, the Red Sox and Indians ran onto the field from the dugouts and bullpens. Then, in the bottom of the inning, Martinez's first pitch struck Alomar in the backside. Again, the benches emptied. Again, no punches were thrown. But Martinez was thrown out of the game. Still, the 1999 Cy Young winner improved his record to 5-0 and leads the AL in wins, ERA and strikeouts. "I'm going to do what I've been doing. I'm not going to change a thing," he said about protecting his teammates. He spoke before Boston's game against the Detroit Tigers, who were involved in a brawl April 22 with the Chicago White Sox that led to the suspensions of 16 members of the teams, including both managers, and fines against nine others. Martinez said he doesn't expect to hear from Frank Robinson, baseball's vice president of on-field operations who issued the suspensions against the Tigers and White Sox. "There's no discipline to be issued. There's nothing. There's no fight," Martinez said. "This is all part of the game." Martinez's next scheduled start is Friday against Tampa Bay. Diaz had doubled twice off Martinez. So the pitcher wanted to back him off the plate. It worked so well that Diaz ended up striking out. He and Martinez glared at each other as he returned to the bench. "He's a catcher. He knows what's going to happen," Martinez said. "He should just take his place and understand he's going to be pitched inside after he gets two (hits) on two changeups away. He has to expect to be pitched inside." After Offerman was hit, Martinez stayed in the Boston dugout until Cleveland's Scott Kamieniecki pointed at him. Martinez didn't apologize for not coming out before then. "I thought everyone in the stadium saw how much guts he has by throwing at a guy's head and then staying in the dugout," Kamieniecki said. "I understand what I need to do," Martinez said. "I had told (Offerman) not to go out (to the mound) if you get hit." And he didn't apologize for hitting Alomar. "I'll back up my teammates any time I have to," Martinez said. | ALSO SEE Pedro's inside pitches pain Indians the day after, too Pedro gets the boot, kicks Cleveland anyway AUDIO/VIDEO   Pedro Martinez says the Red Sox will do what they have to do.wav: 167 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6  | |||||