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Martinez falters in return from stint on disabled list

National League

Pedro Martinez struggled in his first start in more than a month and the New York Mets missed a chance to clinch the National League East, losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 on Friday.

The Mets' magic number to win their first division title since 1988 remained at one when second-place Philadelphia later held off Houston 4-3.

Martinez (9-6) had been on the disabled list because of a strained right calf since Aug. 14.

Hit hard

Martinez allowed four runs in three innings. He was on a pitch count of 60-80 pitches and threw 68, giving up six hits. He struck out four.

Paul Maholm (8-10) allowed one run and two hits in seven brilliant innings as the Pirates beat the Mets for just the first time in six tries this season. Maholm, who walked three and hit three, is 4-0 in his last seven starts.

Salomon Torres pitched the ninth for his eighth save so far this season.

Jason Bay hit his 33rd homer and drove in three runs for Pittsburgh. Jose Reyes had two hits and two RBIs for the Mets.

American League

Magglio Ordonez hit a two-run homer in an eight-run fourth inning, Brandon Inge added a grand slam in the sixth and Detroit boosted its American League Central lead to two games with a 17-2 victory over Baltimore on Friday.

Detroit, which had 19 hits, scored more runs against the Orioles than the Tigers totaled in their previous six games combined. Carlos Guillen and Sean Casey both had two hits in the fourth inning, and Guillen scored twice.

17 losses, 25 games

The Tigers entered with 17 losses in 25 games and the division lead, which was 10 games before play on Aug. 8, was down to one game over second-place Minnesota. But the Twins lost to Cleveland 5-4 in 10 innings.

Baltimore allowed its most runs since an 18-5 defeat to the New York Yankees on May 27, 2004, and lost for the 13th time in 17 games.

Jeremy Bonderman (12-8) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings, striking out seven. He had been 0-4 in nine starts since July 24.

Hayden Penn (0-3) allowed seven runs, seven hits and three walks in 3 2-3 innings.
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