BRADENTON, Fla. — Victor Martinez and Bill Hall hit their first home runs of spring training Wednesday to lead the Boston Red Sox past the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-4.
Martinez hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Paul Maholm. Martinez is batting .265 with three RBI this spring.
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Hall hit a solo shot in the second and Mike Cameron added a solo shot in the fourth.
Maholm allowed one homer over his first four spring starts.
“The home runs aren’t a bright spot on my day, but that’s part of the process of spring training,” Maholm said.
Josh Beckett of Boston racked up nine strikeouts in five innings, striking out 7 of 9 batters in one stretch. He gave up three hits and two walks.
“Every day’s getting better and today was by far my best day in two weeks,” Beckett said.
Beckett’s strength no longer is an issue. After leaving, Beckett threw in the bullpen to get his pitch count past 95.
“I’d like to stick around 95 pitches (the rest of the spring),” Beckett said. “The most important thing today was that I felt good and I finished all my pitches. I felt like I could throw any pitch in any count. That’s the feel you want to get by the end of spring training.”
Mike Lowell, who got a late start in spring training after offseason thumb surgery, made his second straight start at first base for the Red Sox.
“He seems pretty comfortable there,” Boston Manager Terry Francona said. “He’s always had the ability to get low and slow things down. He does pretty good.”
But as Beckett cruised through the lineup, Lowell didn’t get much work. He fielded one grounder.
“With Josh on the mound, there aren’t too many lefties who are straight pulling the ball,” Lowell said. “I’m feeling more comfortable. I got a ball in the first (and) I had to hold a few runners on.”
Pirates closer Octavio Dotel, who’s been out due to a strained oblique, was a bit wild in his first appearance. Dotel tossed one scoreless inning. He issued a leadoff walk, hit a batter, got one strikeout and threw a wild pitch. Dotel threw 22 pitches, 12 of them balls.
RED SOX second baseman Dustin Pedroia said he’s fine one day after landing awkwardly on his left wrist during Boston’s game against Minnesota.
“I rolled my wrist,” Pedroia said. “I’ll take (batting practice today) and then play (Friday). That’s it. I’m good. There’s nothing. It’s more spring training (precaution). It hurt at the time and then they just took me out of the game. So no big deal.”
Pedroia sustained the injury in the first inning, diving to snare a liner by Denard Span. After getting to his feet, Pedroia launched an errant throw, which careened off the protective fence in front of the Red Sox dugout. He finished the inning but didn’t come out for the second.
“It’s a little sore (now),” he said. “I just landed weird. And I tried to get up and I couldn’t really get up. And I tried to throw it and I almost killed our dugout. But I’m fine. I’ll be all right.”
Pedroia wasn’t expected to receive treatment other than icing the wrist.
“I just iced it today and that’s it. It’s just sore. No big deal.”
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