Ortiz, Red Sox slam Mariners

BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox used a delay to the advantage of Pedro Martinez.

Martinez remained undefeated against Seattle, and David Ortiz’s grand slam capped a five-run fifth inning to lift the Boston Red Sox to an 8-4 victory over the Mariners on Friday night.

The start was delayed 1 hour, 20 minutes by the threat of rain, which never came. With the delay coming before the start, Martinez didn’t have to warm up and take the mound with the chance of another delay.

“I always go out to the dugout before the starting pitcher starts warming up,” Boston manager Terry Francona said. “We told Pedro to go out, but not to warm up before I told him so. He knew what was going on.”

The home team is in control of the game’s start until the lineup cards are exchanged with the umpires at home plate, which allowed the Red Sox to dictate the delay.

“The rain was coming, coming, coming and then it broke up,” Francona said. “It would have concerned me more if he had gone out and thrown an inning, then had to sit for 45 minutes.”

In the past few years, the team has been very delicate in its handling of Martinez, due to some of the star pitcher’s shoulder problems.

“I don’t know what the radar looks like, but it certainly seemed like the game could have got going,” Seattle manager Bob Melvin said. “But that’s up to the powers that be that are in control of that. I’m sure there’s thought of not wanting to have Pedro go out there and then having to wait for a while, but I don’t know.”

Manny Ramirez hit his 13th homer for Boston, which has won eight of 10.

Bret Boone and Rich Aurilia each had solo homers for the Mariners.

Martinez (5-3) has won all 13 games he’s pitched against the Mariners – he won once in relief – but he gave up four runs, the most he’s allowed against them. Martinez had a 1.00 ERA coming in against Seattle and he never gave up more than two runs.

“I did stretch my arm,” Martinez said of the delay. “Right after I figured I’d go to the (bullpen) mound to do what I have to do, that’s when they stopped it.”

Martinez’s unbeaten mark against Seattle is the best of any active pitcher. Randy Johnson is 12-0 against the Chicago Cubs.

On Friday, Martinez didn’t walk a batter and struck out nine, regaining the A.L. strikeout lead from teammate Curt Schilling with 72. Schilling has 66.

Alan Embree pitched the eighth and Keith Foulke worked the ninth.

Boston erased a 4-1 deficit with its five-run fifth off Joel Pineiro (1-6). Kevin Millar and Kevin Youkilis had consecutive doubles. Following walks to Johnny Damon and Mark Bellhorn that loaded the bases, Ortiz hit his 100th career homer into the Seattle bullpen over leaping right fielder Ichiro Suzuki.

Seattle got the first two runners on in the sixth, but Martinez struck out Aurilia and pinch-hitter Dave Hansen before Randy Winn grounded out.

Edgar Martinez, now 3 for 25 in his career against Pedro Martinez, felt he continues to dominate – even with noticeably lower velocity.

“He’s not throwing as hard as he used to, but he still locates very well,” said Martinez, who went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. “We tried to approach him differently, but he adjusts well.”

Youkilis’ two-run double made it 8-4 in the eighth.

The M’s jumped ahead 1-0 in the second when Boone hit a fastball into the Green Monster seats, but Boston tied it in the bottom half on Ramirez’s leadoff drive into the Red Sox bullpen.

Scott Spiezio’s sacrifice fly gave Seattle a 2-1 lead in the third.

The Mariners added two runs in the fifth. Rich Aurilia led off with a homer into the Monster seats, his first of the season. Ichiro had an RBI single.

Pineiro, winless in his last seven starts, gave up six runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

The Mariners designated outfielder Quinton McCracken for assignment and called up right-hander Clint Nageotte from Triple-A Tacoma.

Red Sox 8, Mariners 4

a-struck out for Borders in the 6th.

1-ran for Daubach in the 8th.

LOB—Seattle 7, Boston 4. 2B—ISuzuki (6), Winn 2 (9), Daubach (7), Millar (10), Youkilis 2 (3), Reese (5). HR—DOrtiz (11), off Pineiro; Aurilia (1), off PMartinez; MRamirez (13), off Pineiro; BBoone (8), off PMartinez. RBIs—ISuzuki (18), Spiezio (22), BBoone (22), Aurilia (16), DOrtiz 4 (43), MRamirez (33), Youkilis 3 (6). SB—ISuzuki (9), Spiezio (1). SF—Spiezio. GIDP—BBoone, Bellhorn, Varitek.

Runners left in scoring position—Seattle 5 (Spiezio 2, Ibanez 2, Winn); Boston 2 (Reese 2).

Runners moved up—ISuzuki.

DP—Seattle 2 (BBoone, Aurilia and Olerud), (Aurilia, BBoone and Olerud); Boston 1 (Reese and Daubach).

Inherited runners-scored—MMyers 1-0.

IBB—off Putz (Varitek) 1. HBP—by PMartinez (Spiezio).

Umpires—Home, John Hirschbeck; First, Wally Bell; Second, Laz Diaz; Third, Bill Welke.

T—2:42. A—35,134 (35,095).