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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
BALTIMORE (AP) – It's unlikely the Orioles will finish higher
than the Red Sox in the AL East or that Pat Hentgen will have a
lower ERA than Pedro Martinez by the end of the season.
|  | | Jerry Hairston Jr., right, is met at home plate by teammates as he scores the winning run on a Brady Anderson single in the 11th. |
For one day, however, the Orioles and Hentgen got the better of
their talented counterparts.
Jerry Hairston doubled and scored on a single by Brady Anderson
in the 11th inning Monday as the Orioles beat the Red Sox 2-1.
Long before the decisive run crossed the plate, Martinez and
Hentgen matched zeros in a pitcher's duel that thrilled the sellout
crowd of 46,547 on a chilly afternoon.
Martinez, vying for his fourth straight opening-day win, allowed
one run and four hits in seven innings. The three-time Cy Young
winner walked one, hit a batter and struck out six.
Hentgen was even better. Signed as a free agent in December to
replace departed ace Mike Mussina, the right-hander gave up one
run, four hits and one walk in 8 2/3 innings. He struck out six.
"I think realistically 99.9 percent of the people saw the
matchup with Pedro today and wrote us off," Orioles manager Mike
Hargrove said. "To be able to do what Pat did and ignore that
sentiment, to go out and do what he did, takes a very mentally
tough individual. That's Pat."
Hentgen threw 103 pitches, 65 of them strikes. His only glaring
mistake came in the fourth, when he yielded a home run to Trot
Nixon.
"It was a great game," Hentgen said. "It's a long grind and I
don't want to focus too much on one game, but it felt good."
Hairston led off the 11th with his third hit, a liner to left
off loser Derek Lowe that the fleet-footed second baseman stretched
into a double. Anderson then grounded a single up the middle.
Ryan Kohlmeier worked out of a jam in the top of the 11th to get
the win.
Cal Ripken, opening his 21st and perhaps final season with the
Orioles, went hitless but excelled in the field. The third baseman
made a diving stop and throw to retire Craig Grebeck in the third,
stretched to catch a foul pop at the edge of the Boston dugout in
the sixth and made a fine play on a smash to third with a runner on
third and two outs in the ninth.
The rebuilding Orioles are picked to finish near the bottom of
the AL East this season and the Red Sox hope to challenge the New
York Yankees for the title, but it was difficult to distinguish the
contender in this game.
"You have to give Hentgen some credit, and they did a great
job," Martinez said. "They battled the whole game."
Martinez, who threw 92 pitches, was content with his effort.
"I feel good. I feel healthy," he said. "I was able to throw
the ball for seven innings. I'm satisfied with that. They just got
away with one today."
Hentgen had the good fortune to face a lineup without shortstop
Nomar Garciaparra, who had surgery on his right wrist earlier in
the day. Garciaparra's replacement, Grebeck, went 0-for-4.
Boston newcomer Manny Ramirez struck out in his first two
at-bats, then hit a long single in the seventh before being
replaced by pinch-runner Darren Lewis. Ramirez was bothered by a
sore hamstring for much of the spring.
"He just felt something when he made that turn at first. Like a
cramp or something," Boston manager Jimy Williams said. "Rather
than keep trying to play on it he felt it best to come out."
Nixon put Boston up 1-0 by driving a 2-0 pitch over the
scoreboard in right field. Because Martinez allowed only one run in
19 innings this spring, it seemed as if that might be enough
offense for the Red Sox.
The Orioles threatened in the fifth, but Melvin Mora was called
out on appeal after failing to touch second base on his way to
third following an errant throw by Boston third baseman Shea
Hillenbrand.
Baltimore finally broke through in the sixth. Hairston led off
with a double, his second hit against Martinez, and stole third as
Anderson struck out. With the infield drawn in, Mike Bordick lifted
a popup that dropped into short right field for a single.
Game notes
Making his major league debut, Hillenbrand got his first
hit in the fifth, an infield single. ... Hairston is 4-for-5
lifetime against Martinez. ... Hentgen's six strikeouts matched his
total in his previous two opening day starts, both with Toronto.
... It was Kohlmeier's first career win.
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RECAPS
Chi. White Sox 7
Cleveland 4
NY Yankees 7
Kansas City 3
Baltimore 2
Boston 1
Seattle 5
Oakland 4
Atlanta 10
Cincinnati 4
Montreal 5
Chicago Cubs 4
Colorado 8
St. Louis 0
Philadelphia 6
Florida 5
San Francisco 3
San Diego 2
Los Angeles 1
Milwaukee 0
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Pedro Martinez laughs at the idea fans are giving up after one game.
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