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Moriarty9 · 05-08-2009, 12:34 AM

Durazo dinger sinks Mariners
Martinez, Johnson hurl 16 1/3 scoreless, K 20
April 23, 2002

SEATTLE — Erubiel Durazo may have been the guy mobbed at home plate after hitting a three-run home run in the 11th inning, but it was the dominant pitching of Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson that really earned headlines tonight.

In a late April game that will long be remembered as a classic, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Seattle Mariners played an exciting extra inning game where the starting pitchers combined for more than 16 scoreless innings and 20 strikeouts with neither factoring in the decision.

Martinez threw nine innings of shutout baseball, allowing just four hits and three walks while striking out 14 Seattle hitters. Johnson worked 7 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks, striking out eight Devil Rays.

"That was the best pitchers' duel I've ever seen," said Tampa Bay manager Christian O'Neal. "It's rare enough to see a scoreless game go into the eleventh inning, but what these two guys did was unbelievable. I'd be happy to pay and watch a performance like this."

Left-hander Gabe White and closer Matt Anderson combined for two shutout innings in relief of Martinez, while lefty Ron Villone had pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief before giving up the decisive home run to Durazo. Villone had retired the first two batters of the eleventh inning before giving up back-to-back singles to Scott Rolen and Garret Anderson. Durazo took a first-pitch fastball deep to straightaway centerfield for a 420-foot three-run shot to put Tampa Bay on the board and give them the lead.

05-08-2009, 12:34 AM	#268 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,858 Thanks: 10 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Durazo dinger sinks Mariners Martinez, Johnson hurl 16 1/3 scoreless, K 20 April 23, 2002 SEATTLE — Erubiel Durazo may have been the guy mobbed at home plate after hitting a three-run home run in the 11th inning, but it was the dominant pitching of Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson that really earned headlines tonight. In a late April game that will long be remembered as a classic, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Seattle Mariners played an exciting extra inning game where the starting pitchers combined for more than 16 scoreless innings and 20 strikeouts with neither factoring in the decision. Martinez threw nine innings of shutout baseball, allowing just four hits and three walks while striking out 14 Seattle hitters. Johnson worked 7 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks, striking out eight Devil Rays. "That was the best pitchers' duel I've ever seen," said Tampa Bay manager Christian O'Neal. "It's rare enough to see a scoreless game go into the eleventh inning, but what these two guys did was unbelievable. I'd be happy to pay and watch a performance like this." Left-hander Gabe White and closer Matt Anderson combined for two shutout innings in relief of Martinez, while lefty Ron Villone had pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief before giving up the decisive home run to Durazo. Villone had retired the first two batters of the eleventh inning before giving up back-to-back singles to Scott Rolen and Garret Anderson. Durazo took a first-pitch fastball deep to straightaway centerfield for a 420-foot three-run shot to put Tampa Bay on the board and give them the lead.