The defeat drops Boston four games behind the first-place Yankees with four to play, and Pedro Martinez will play second fiddle to Curt Schilling in the playoffs.

09:28 AM EDT on Thursday, September 30, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

AP photo Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, left, hits the deck after a collision with the Devil Rays' Toby Hall, who scored on a triple by B.J. Upton in the second inning of last night's game at St. Petersburg, Fla.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- In the aftermath of last night's 9-4 loss to the lowly Tampa Bay Devil Rays, two things became abundantly clear: the Red Sox aren't going to win the American League East, and for the first time since he came to Boston, Pedro Martinez will not be pitching a playoff opener for the Sox.

The Sox' defeat, coupled with a Yankee sweep of the Minnesota Twins, dropped the Sox four games out in the race for the American League East crown with four games to go. Unless the Sox win their last four while the Yankees lose their final four, Boston will go into the playoffs as the A.L. wild-card entrant.

"It was fun pushing (the Yankees)," said Terry Francona, all but conceding the obvious. "I think the players were, too. We've tried to acknowledge the importance of winning the American League East all along. But we also have to use our very best judgment. Today was a big swing (in the standings)."

Martinez, who lost his fourth straight start for the first time in more than a decade, revealed that the Sox have opted to go with Curt Schilling as their Game 1 starter in the ALDS next Tuesday. Martinez sought clarification from Francona and pitching coach Dave Wallace before Tuesday's game, not wanting to have the issue weighing on him before his final start of the regular season.

No official word had been given by the organization, though there were telling

signs shown, including Francona's statement yesterday afternoon that Schilling might not pitch at all this weekend in Baltimore.

But until Martinez, recounting his insistence on going back out for the fifth inning, said, "Since I'm not going to pitch Game 1, it was probably worth it for me to go out there and complete all my pitches," there was no direct confirmation.

Asked whether he had a problem with the assignment being given to Schilling, Martinez said: "Not at all. I should actually pitch fifth or not even pitch in the playoffs if I continue to pitch like that. . . . He was the No. 1 pitcher from the get-go. He deserves to start the No. 1 game.

"Without a doubt, he deserves to be the No. 1 starter. I hope he performs the way he's been pitching. He's been better than Pedro Martinez."

Martinez was, again, not sharp in finishing his season at 16-9. After the Sox got him a run in the top of the first, he surrendered a run in the bottom of the inning on a leadoff triple by Carl Crawford and a throwing error by Orlando Cabrera. In the second, after a sacrifice fly by Bill Mueller had given the Sox a second lead, at 2-1, he yielded an RBI single to Toby Hall, a run-scoring triple to B.J Upton and a sacrifice fly to Crawford.

A bobble by Gabe Kapler in center helped account for another Tampa run in the fourth, and Jorge Cantu's sacrifice fly in the fifth closed the book on Martinez's night -- and regular season.

"Like most (unsuccessful) pitchers, he threw too many pitches over the middle of the plate and paid the price," Francona said.

Martinez hasn't won since Sept. 8, and his nine losses are the most ever since joining the Red Sox. Over his last three starts, he's compiled an E.R.A. of 9.35 and given up 27 hits in his last 17 1/3 innings.

"I'm not concerned at all," Martinez said. "I would like the (recent) results to be better, but I'm healthy. Hopefully, the playoffs will be better. I'm just going to watch video and let this go. The season is over -- this doesn't have anything to do with the playoffs."

The Sox got single runs off Doug Waechter in the first and second. After a two-out double by Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz delivered him with a single in the first.

A single by Jason Varitek, a balk by Waechter, a flyout and a sacrifice fly by Mueller in the second produced the second run. But the Boston offense was stifled thereafter, collecting just four hits over the final seven innings. Solo homers by Trot Nixon and Adam Hyzdu produced the final two runs.

Meanwhile, a three-run homer by Tino Martinez off Alan Embree in the eighth closed out the scoring.