Maddux, Martinez make pitch for All-Star start

Greg Maddux and Pedro Martinez bolstered their bids to become the starting pitchers in next week's All-Star game.

Maddux won his 10th consecutive decision, pitching a five-hitter for his second straight shutout as Atlanta won 6-0 at Tampa Bay on Thursday."He was throwing the ball where he wanted right from the start. That's what makes him what he is," Devil Rays manager Larry Rothschild said.

Maddux (12-2), the winningest pitcher in the majors, struck out eight and walked one to strengthen his case for the NL starting job in Denver on Tuesday.

"I'm getting a lot of runs," Maddux said, explaining his recent success. "I've had a lot of games where I've had six or more runs, and that helps."

Martinez (11-2) pitched two-hit ball for six innings as Boston routed Montreal 15-0 at Fenway Park. He was lifted as a precaution after the Red Sox scored six runs in the fifth and four in the sixth to take a 14-0 lead.

"He had two long innings (in the dugout) in a row," manager Jimy Williams said. "It's not that he had thrown a lot of pitches. We just wanted to protect our investment."

Martinez, probably competing with the Yankees' David Wells for the AL starting berth, struck out five and walked none against his former team. He retired the first 13 batters and left with the huge lead after throwing only 67 pitches.

"It was easy for me, I guess," Martinez said. "They (Boston's hitters) did everything for me, and all I had to do was go out there and throw strikes."

MARINERS 10, ROCKIES 3: Ken Griffey Jr. homered for the fourth consecutive game, hitting his AL-leading 35th and tripling as Seattle beat Colorado.

Russ Davis also homered for the host Mariners, who hammered Darryl Kile (5-11) with 10 runs in the first two innings.

ORIOLES 5, MARLINS 3: Rafael Palmeiro homered for the fourth consecutive game, raising his total to 26, and Baltimore stopped its eight-game losing streak.

Rookie Sidney Ponson (2-6) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings to help the host Orioles win their first game since June 22.

PIRATES 5, TIGERS 2: Esteban Loaiza limited Detroit to a run over 72/3 innings and helped himself with a run-scoring single as Pittsburgh ended its four-game home losing streak.

Loaiza (6-4) took a shutout into the seventh before Luis Gonzalez hit his ninth homer.