Ortiz Delivers Power as Red Sox, Martinez Win

Pedro Martinez got all the support he needed from David Ortiz -- a home run, four runs batted in and a big hug after he came off the mound.

“That guy, right now, he deserves the best,” Ortiz said after the Red Sox ace beat the Seattle Mariners, 8-1, on Monday at Fenway Park in Boston, in his first appearance after sitting out a start because of a sore throat and fever.

“He’s not even close to being 100%. He’s sick for real and he still comes out and gives us his best,” Ortiz said.

Returning from a throat infection, Martinez (10-3) gave up one run, six hits and two walks with four strikeouts. The sellout matinee crowd, sensing that he was done after the sixth inning, gave him a big ovation as he left the mound, and the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Ortiz gave him a bearhug on the dugout steps.

It was Martinez’s 12th consecutive victory over Seattle -- the longest such streak in the majors -- though his lifetime earned-run average against the Mariners went up from 0.96 to 1.00.

Boston has won five in a row overall since falling a season-high 7 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East and remained five games behind New York. The Red Sox, who improved to a season-high 21 games above .500, are tied in the AL wild-card race with Oakland and Seattle, who share the AL West lead.

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Oakland 8, Toronto 6 -- Miguel Tejada homered and had three hits as the Athletics won at Toronto. Tejada went 15 for 31 on Oakland’s 5-2 trip to Boston and Toronto. The Athletics hold a share of first place for the first time since May 15. Terrence Long went four for five for the A’s.

Oakland led, 7-3, in the eighth when Toronto’s Josh Phelps hit a three-run homer. Erubiel Durazo hit a homer in the ninth for the A’s, and Keith Foulke got five outs for his 34th save.

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New York 5, Baltimore 2 -- Alfonso Soriano hit his team-record 10th leadoff homer and drove in three runs and Andy Pettitte gave up one run in 6 2/3 innings to improve to 18-4 against the Orioles and lead the Yankees at New York.

Soriano had four hits, including a key two-run single in the eighth inning. New York has won nine of 11.

New York’s Jason Giambi was hit by a pitch twice, but he stayed in the game although the knuckle on his right index finger turned purple.