08:25 AM EDT on Tuesday, July 27, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

AP photo Perdo Martinez earned his 11th victory and ended a run of frustration against Baltimore as the Red Sox put on another hitting show to beat the Orioles at Camden Yards.

BALTIMORE -- Kicking off their longest and most challenging road trip of the season last night, the Red Sox began it with a rarity -- a series-opening win away from home.

Pounding out 13 hits and racing to a 10-run lead, the Sox clobbered the Baltimore Orioles, 12-5, at Camden Yards, extending their modest win streak to three games and recording only their fifth road series opener victory this season.

There's a long way to go, but as tone-setters go, this one hit all the right notes.

"It's a long trip, so it's nice to win the first one," said manager Terry Francona. "I think [the players] understand it's time."

"The cool thing about it is it puts us in grind mode right away," added Gabe Kapler, who contributed three hits and three runs scored. "There's no saving ourselves for a situation down the road. We know we're going to be battling every day for the next two weeks."

The win offered further proof that the Sox benefited from their comeback win -- and tussle -- over the New York Yankees Saturday and are intent on capitalizing on the momentum earned at Fenway.

"We knew we had a tough series against the Yankees and our bullpen was a little beat up," said Pedro Martinez, who picked up his 11th win. "To go through all that with the Yankees, then pick up a win right away against a team that has given us difficulty -- that's a good sign."

The Orioles had won five of the previous six meetings between the two before last night, but almost before they could respond, the Sox strung together six hits in the span of eight at-bats in a six-run third inning.

The Sox managed to reach double figures in runs without sprinkling in a homer among their 13 hits, much of it keyed by the third-inning uprising.

"It was good to see us put together so many good at-bats in a row," said Kapler. "We've had so many injuries and we've had a difficult time being consistent. It's difficult to jell with your lineup like that. [That third inning] was fun to see."

Six different players contributed base hits, while Mark Bellhorn added a walk and David Ortiz chipped in with a sacrifice fly. Five of the runs scored after two were out.

It was more of the same in the sixth inning -- three doubles and two walks combined to produced four more runs. By the ninth inning, Francona had the luxury of resting four of the first five hitters in his lineup.

From there, all Martinez had to do was throw strikes, which he did with regularity, walking just one hitter in the first five innings. Only last week, when the Orioles visited Fenway and took two out of three from the Sox, the Orioles had their way with Martinez, shelling him for eight runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings.

In three previous starts against the Orioles this season, in fact, Martinez was 0-2 with an 8.66 E.R.A. But backed by the early run support, Martinez fairly cruised last night.

"It's not like I did a big job," said Martinez, who won for the seventh time in his last eight decisions. "I have to thank my teammates. I just went right after them and was going to let them hit the ball. I was having an easy game."

AP photo Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra avoids Baltimore's Jerry Hairston Jr. as he tries to turn a double play in the third inning of last night's game.

Through five innings, Martinez had allowed just three hits while facing two batters over the minimum. In the sixth, Miguel Tejada lined a changeup just inside and beyond the left-field foul pole to snap the shutout bid.

In the seventh, Martinez, battling a muddy mound as a result of a constant drizzle, slipped some in his delivery while pitching to leadoff hitter Javy Lopez and felt a "pinch" in his right hip.

After getting LCS enemy Karim Garcia to pop to short, he was touched by a Jerry Hairston Jr. single and a run-scoring single by Larry Bigbie, signaling the end of his night.

Newcomer Terry Adams, pitching for the second time in as many days since joining the Sox, issued a walk and yielded an infield single and a groundout, producing two more runs.

Martinez was charged with five earned runs in 6 2/3 innings, but that's hardly indicative of the way he pitched.

"I thought he pitched great," said Francona of Martinez. "[The late runs] didn't matter."

After the game, Martinez' hip was still sore, but he anticipates some running on flat ground will relieve the discomfort in plenty of time for his next start, on Sunday, which will come with the added benefit of an extra day's rest, thanks to Thursday's off-day.

"I think I'm going to be OK," said Martinez.

For a change, it's easy to think that about the rest of his team, too.