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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) – Joe Torre couldn't have scripted a better game.
|  | | Tino Martinez, second from left, celebrates after hitting a first-inning grand slam off Hideo Nomo. |
Bernie Williams returned to the New York Yankees' lineup, Andy
Pettitte gave a weary bullpen needed rest and Tino Martinez
provided a big blow early.
Martinez hit a first-inning grand slam and Pettitte came within
one out of a shutout as the Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 6-1
Friday night.
"Tino gave us an early 4-0 lead and that makes any pitcher's
life easier," Torre said. "Once we got the lead, Pettitte pitched
very aggressively and made them earn everything they got."
The Yankees were also buoyed by the return of Williams, who
missed the past 10 games to tend to his ailing father in Puerto
Rico.
Williams got a standing ovation from the crowd of 54,366 before
his first at-bat and made a spectacular leaping catch to rob Carl
Everett of a homer in the third inning.
"Obviously he's a big part of our team," Martinez said. "He
contributes so much on offense and defense. We really missed him."
New York needed any boost it could get after not arriving back
at Yankee Stadium until 5 a.m., following Thursday night's
17-inning win at Toronto. The players looked groggy as they showed
up Friday, many drinking coffee before getting in uniform.
But Pettitte (3-1) had returned from Toronto before the marathon
game and was well rested.
"I turned off the TV at 12:30 in the 13th or 14th inning,"
Pettitte said. "I figured if they flew me ahead I might as well
get some rest. But it was agonizing."
He retired 10 straight at one point and extended the Yankees'
scoreless streak to 23 innings.
Only an RBI double by Troy O'Leary with two outs in the ninth
prevented Pettitte from a shutout. The left-hander gave up six hits
and struck out seven, sparing the bullpen one night after the
relievers pitched 11 innings.
"He knew what he needed and he gave it to us," Torre said.
The early runs -- aided by Hideo Nomo's wildness -- helped out,
too.
After striking out Chuck Knoblauch to open the game, Nomo (2-1)
walked three of the next four hitters.
Martinez, in a 1-for-18 slump, then hit a 2-2 pitch into the
upper deck in right field to make it 4-0. That equaled the most
runs the Red Sox had allowed in any of their first 16 games.
"He couldn't locate his pitches," Torre said. "We had four
runs and one hit."
Derek Jeter added RBI singles in the second and fourth innings
to make it 6-0 and Pettitte did the rest.
Pettitte, who allowed a career-high 14 hits in a 5-4 loss at
Boston on Sunday, faced little trouble in the rematch.
"I didn't have command of my offspeed stuff in Boston,"
Pettitte said. "I had really good offspeed stuff tonight. You
should have a good game when you have everything working."
The Red Sox put two runners on in the first, but O'Leary
grounded out to end the inning.
Jason Varitek led off the second with a double and went to third
on Shea Hillenbrand's single. After a visit by pitching coach Mel
Stottlemyre, Pettitte got Lou Merloni on a foul popup, struck out
Mike Lansing and got Jose Offerman to ground out.
"He knew he had to go long in that game and we knew we had to
get him out and we didn't get it done," Varitek said.
Pettitte was also helped out by his defense. With a runner on
first in the third inning, Everett hit a drive to left-center and
Williams glided back to the wall, timed his jump perfectly, and
reached over the fence to rob Everett.
Williams, normally reserved on the field, pumped his fist as the
crowd roared its approval. "Welcome Back Bernie" lit up the
scoreboard.
After Merloni's leadoff double in the eighth -- Boston's first
hit since the second inning -- third baseman Scott Brosius made a
barehanded pickup to get Lansing.
Darren Lewis then hit a fly to right field. When David Justice's
throw got away from catcher Joe Oliver, Merloni tried to score from
third. But Oliver scrambled to get the ball and threw to Pettitte,
who tagged out Merloni.
Nomo allowed five runs, three hits, three walks and hit a batter
in two innings.
"You can't pitch good every time," manager Jimy Williams said.
"His stuff was good his location was not good."
Game notes
Martinez became the fifth player in history to hit a grand
slam in seven straight seasons. Willie McCovey did it in nine
straight, and Vern Stephens, Gil Hodges and Cecil Fielder did it in
seven. ... The Yankees have outhomered the Red Sox 19-2 in the last
13 games. ... After dropping seven of their first nine against
Toronto and Boston, the Yankees have won two straight against their
AL East rivals.
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RECAPS
Cleveland 5
Detroit 4
NY Yankees 6
Boston 1
Baltimore 6
Tampa Bay 3
Minnesota 4
Chi. White Sox 1
Toronto 12
Kansas City 4
Texas 9
Oakland 6
Seattle 4
Anaheim 1
Cincinnati 9
NY Mets 5
Florida 5
Montreal 1
Philadelphia 8
Atlanta 3
Chicago Cubs 8
Pittsburgh 2
Houston 10
St. Louis 1
Arizona 3
Colorado 2
Los Angeles 3
San Diego 1
San Francisco 3
Milwaukee 1
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Tino Martinez was looking for a pitch he could send deep against the Red Sox. (courtesy WFXT)
wav: 54 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Andy Pettitte knows he is difficult to beat when he is locating all his pitches. (courtesy WFXT)
wav: 88 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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