But as the Sox opened their 104th season amid some of the highest hopes in franchise history, something bedeviled Martinez in a tumultuous second inning that contributed to a 7-2 loss before 47,683 heavily-clad witnesses at Oriole Park. The lapse helped to extend Boston's losing streak in season openers to four.
"He had a tough second inning," manager Terry Francona said. "Other than that, he was very, very good."
Martinez, who left the ballpark while his teammates tried in vain to battle back, ultimately got precious little help as the Sox put 19 runners on base and scored only on Manny Ramirez's third-inning single and Johnny Damon's fielder's choice with the bases loaded in the eighth. The Sox ended one inning with a strikeout-caught stealing, were unable to score from first on a two-out double to the right-field corner, stranded runners at second and third with a two-out bunt back to the mound, and bounced into a pair of double plays.
"I think more times than not we're going to score a lot of runs in that type of environment," said Gabe Kapler, who had three hits. "It's kind of just a fluke the way it worked out."
The Sox pen also provided the ace little help as Mike Timlin surrendered three runs while retiring only two batters in the seventh inning, though Timlin was betrayed in part by an apparently faulty defensive play. With one run already in and runners at the corners after Timlin uncharacteristically walked two batters and allowed an RBI grounder by Rafael Palmeiro, Lopez sent a fly ball to right center that dropped untouched. Either center fielder Damon or right fielder Kapler appeared within range, but neither was able to capitalize, allowing a two-run double that left the Sox in a 6-1 bind.
An error by shortstop Cesar Crespo, a late-game sub appearing in his first career opener, cleared the way for the final Baltimore run.
"Nothing went right for us," Damon said of the game in general. "We just weren't good, and I wasn't good." Damon was 0 for 5 from the leadoff spot.
