DETROIT -- The game slipped from the Red Sox' grasp in the late innings.
Reliever Tim Wakefield couldn't hold a two-run lead, and his balk, a questionable call by plate umpire Bruce Froemming, led to Shane Halter's game-winning double in the 10th inning as the Detroit Tigers overtook the Sox, 7-6, last night at Comerica Park.
Wakefield, who was called for not stopping in his stretch before delivering a pitch to Halter with a runner at first, had been entrusted with a 6-4 advantage, courtesy of Trot Nixon's tie-breaking two-run homer in the fourth.
The knuckleballer served up rookie Ramon Santiago's second solo homer of the game in the seventh and Wendell Magee's 15-hop RBI single up the middle in the eighth as the Tigers pulled even.
As a result, Wakefield blew the win for Pedro Martinez, who was bidding to go 8-0 for the first time since 1997.
But the result aside, one nagging, haunting question lingered.
Is Pedro all right?
Manager Grady Little insisted there's no cause for extra concern over his ace's health. Martinez said the same thing, though in his own words he was a "little snippy" after last night's game.
But the health question can't be ignored given Martinez's shoulder woes of 2000.
Last night marked Pedro's second straight start in which he struggled at the outset. The Tigers' first two batters, Santiago and veteran Damion Easley, took Martinez deep on back-to-back pitches. Detroit added two more runs on three more hits in the inning for a quick 4-0 lead.
In his last outing, Martinez was touched up for two runs in the first inning and two more in the second by Toronto, also putting the Red Sox in a 4-0 hole. Each time Boston overcame the deficit. In each start, Martinez gave up four runs on seven hits. He whiffed seven Jays and four Tigers.
But what's problematic is that Martinez's start against Toronto came on four days' rest. Martinez talked about having a "dead arm" in the early stages of that one, unable to crack the 90-mph barrier with his fastball until later in the game. And even then, his velocity was decidedly un-Pedro like.
So Little gave Martinez an extra day of rest this time, even though it meant the right-hander didn't face the rival Yankees.
Once again, though, Martinez had little zip, as evidenced by his first-inning woes. He didn't crack 90 mph very often in his outing.
And while a pitcher of Martinez's caliber can succeed without 95-mph heat, as he did in working out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the fourth, this second consecutive sluggish outing begs the question that is on the lips of every Red Sox fan.
Is Pedro all right?
Certainly, it's a question that's going to dog the three-time Cy Young Award winner all season in light of what happened a year ago, when he broke down, succumbing to a fraying of his right rotator cuff that limited him to five starts over the final three months.
And his troubles began right around this time last year.
Maybe it's a coincidence, but June 9 last year marked Martinez's final start before a sore shoulder sent him to the sidelines. It was his 13th start of the year.
Last night marked Martinez's 12th start of this season. He has thrown fewer innings this year. After 12 starts last year, he had thrown 87 innings. After 12 starts this year, his innings total is 732/3. And he has thrown about 200 fewer pitches.
Is a little wear and tear creeping into Martinez's shoulder?
"It was kind of like the other day in Toronto," said Little. "His velocity increased as he got more loose and into the flow of the game a little more. It's actually like that with a lot of pitchers. Sometimes you pay the price. They ended up with runs early in the game."
Little pulled Martinez after 96 pitches, saying the Sox want to protect him. But he said he's not worried about Pedro's health.
"I don't feel good about the outcome, but both games he finished up strong. It may just be a part of him coming back," said Little.
Martinez was not thrilled with the gathering media.
"I don't feel like talking today. Why do you guys feel like I have to talk every day I pitch?," he said, moving away. "Okay, I'll be back, but a teeny-weeny interview. No silly questions. I'm a little snippy."
When he returned, he said he was upset the team had lost. He didn't think Wakefield balked. As for his performance, he didn't seemed concerned.
"They were swinging the bats. They did their job," said Martinez. "Against Toronto, I didn't respond well. Tonight, I felt fine. They hit it out. All I could do was watch it go. There's nothing I can do. No excuses. Actually, I was really fine, in case anyone's wondering."
Of course, everyone in New England is wondering. And they'll keep wondering all year, including Pedro's next start, Saturday at Fenway Park, on only four days' rest, against Arizona's ace right-hander, Curt Schilling.
