Martinez honors friend in best way
Once he wiped away the tears, Carlos Martinez went to work.
Martinez watched an emotional pregame tribute to late teammate and best friend Oscar Taveras, then pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout innings to lead St. Louis over visiting Los Angeles 3-1 on Sunday.
“When (I) went out to start, (I) was just about ‘OK, this is an opportunity to take this win for Oscar, to play hard, to compete, to get my focus and do it for him,’ ” Martinez said through an interpreter.
On the one-year anniversary of Taveras’ major league debut, his family was on the field to honor him. Taveras and his girlfriend were killed in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic in October.
Martinez was best friends with Taveras, and is wearing the outfielder’s No. 18 this season.
Martinez (5-2) struck out eight and extended his scoreless-innings streak to 20 1/3.
Klay is for A’s
Warriors All-Star guard Klay Thompson got a warm ovation at Oakland’s O.co Coliseum when he was shown at the game on the video screen wearing an A’s hat. Thompson pointed to the logo, prompting even more cheers. This comes two days after teammate Stephen Curry attended a Giants game in San Francisco to the chagrin of A’s fans — and even some players. Thompson visited the A’s clubhouse after the game and picked up some souvenirs. He would not say whether he will practice today after being sidelined by a concussion.
Ishikawa still with Giants
Travis Ishikawa cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Sacramento. Ishikawa, whose three-run homer in the NLCS sent the Giants to the World Series, opened the year on the disabled list with a back injury. “I thought there was a good chance we would lose him,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “But the fact that he is going to stay is nice to know.”
WW II vet makes pitch
More than 70 years after he hoped to make his major league debut, a World War II veteran has fulfilled his goal of pitching at Wrigley Field.
Tony Gianunzio walked to the mound and threw out the first ball before the Cubs hosted Kansas City.
The 92-year-old Gianunzio threw from just in front of the rubber.
Gianunzio was a teenage pitching prospect and being looked at by the Cubs when he joined the U.S. Coast Guard. He didn’t return to baseball after the war.
Gianunzio lives in the area of Kalamazoo, Michigan. He taught English and writing in high school for nearly 40 years.
Clearing the bases
Detroit star Justin Verlander struggled in his first rehabilitation start, giving up three runs in 2 2/3 innings for Triple-A Toledo. … Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre will miss at least two weeks with a sprained thumb that he also cut while sliding into second base. … Boston re-signed infielder Jeff Bianchi, three days after he had been designated for assignment.