NEW YORK -- Nick Martinez
spent about a dozen games in the left-field bleachers at Yankee Stadium
from 2009-11, watching with his Fordham friends and hoping to one day
make it to the big leagues -- as a hitter.
He spent Saturday on the mound of the very same ballpark, winning yet another game for Texas and sending reeling New York to its fifth straight loss and ninth in 10 games.
"I could hear my buddies out there cheering for me," he said after the Rangers routed the Yankees 15-4. "It's almost like a homecoming for me."
Shin-Soo Choo hit a go-ahead single and a three-run homer in a 10-run third inning that chased CC Sabathia from his shortest start in six years.
Shoo and Prince Fielder each had two hits in the third, when Texas sent 14 batters to the plate. Fielder finished with three RBIs and hit his third homer in two games.
Martinez (4-0) is one of the season's surprises: He is third in the AL with a 1.96 ERA and has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 15 consecutive starts since last summer.
Now 24, he was primarily a middle infielder at Fordham, hitting .295 with four homers and 66 RBIs over three seasons. He made five relief appearances as a freshman, none as a sophomore and 10 as a junior, totaling 26 1/3 innings.
His career path changed on March 14, 2011, when he threw four shutout innings of three-hit ball against Charleston Southern that completed the Rams' four-game southern swing. Jay Heafner, a Rangers' scout, was in the stands.
"What stuck out to me was the athleticism translated pretty well on the mound," Heafner said. "He didn't really look like a position player trying to pitch, a mere thrower. He actually had some tilt to the ball. All that stuff kind of culminated into thinking there was a chance he could make the transition."
Heafner had been told to watch Martinez by Juan Alvarez, a former major leaguer who also was a Rangers scout at the time. When Martinez was a junior at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Kendall, Florida -- a school founded in Havana in 1854 and relocated to Florida in 1961 after Fidel Castro's revolution -- Martinez's father called Alvarez and asked him to give Nick pitching lessons. Alvarez, who lived about four blocks away, had a mound in his backyard.
"The first day I saw Nick," recalled Alvarez, now a Cleveland scout, "I told his father, `I've never seen your son play shortstop. I've never seen him hit. But with that type of arm, I guarantee his future is going to be on the mound."
Heafner spoke to Martinez before the draft and told him Texas wanted him to make the switch.
"When they first came with the idea, I really wanted to be a position player, but you do what you can with the opportunity," Martinez said.
He was drafted on the 18th round in 2011 with the 564th pick and signed for a $60,000 bonus. He worked his way through the minor leagues and made the jump from Double-A to the majors for his debut in April 2014. He went 5-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 24 starts and five relief appearances last season. Texas is 8-1 in his starts this year, nearly half the wins for a team that is 20-23.
"Growing up right in front of our eyes," manager Jeff Banister said. "Nick's been a guy that's been in complete control. His composure on the mound has been spectacular really. He has not shown any anxiety anywhere, no nervousness."
During the last two spring trainings and on a West Coast trip in 2014, Martinez discussed pitching with Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, the brother of Texas pitching coach Mike Maddux.
"We talked mostly about sequencing, reading hitters' swings, the mindset of the game," Martinez said. "Attack hitters early in the count. That's how you create early contact. We've only really just scratched the surface."
Mike Maddux says confidence is a factor.
"He knows that he can pitch in the big leagues. That's the biggest thing," he said. "He knows where his outs are and understands a swing. He can read hitters well."
Martinez walked Brett Gardner and Alex Rodriguez in the first, then retired Mark Teixeira on a popup and struck out Chase Headley.
"Big key," Banister said. "That inning could have become a little problematic."
New York didn't get a hit until a fourth-inning infield single by Alex Rodriguez.
"He gave me a little shout out when he got to second," Martinez said. "He kind of just winked, said, `What's up?' Gave me a head nod. I got his autograph a couple times, and he knows my high school coach."
Martinez allowed solo homers to Carlos Beltran in the sixth and Didi Gregorius in the seventh, giving up five hits overall.
"He did a good job of staying off the middle of the plate and working the corners," Gardner said. "He kept us off-balance. It's not like he's going to light up the radar gun, but he knows how to pitch."
When he pitched at Yankee Stadium for the first time last August, Martinez arranged tickets for 15 former college teammates and two coaches. This time, he did not leave any.
"They were able to get their own tickets," he said. "It's nice. It saved some cash."
BIG INNING
Texas sent 14 batters to the plate in the highest-scoring inning for the Rangers since an 11-run third against Houston in a 16-5 win over Aug. 29, 2013, according to STATS. Texas won its fourth straight and at 20-23 is three games under .500 for the first time since starting 6-9.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Yovani Gallardo (3-6) has lost four of his last five starts going into Sunday night's game.
He spent Saturday on the mound of the very same ballpark, winning yet another game for Texas and sending reeling New York to its fifth straight loss and ninth in 10 games.
"I could hear my buddies out there cheering for me," he said after the Rangers routed the Yankees 15-4. "It's almost like a homecoming for me."
Shin-Soo Choo hit a go-ahead single and a three-run homer in a 10-run third inning that chased CC Sabathia from his shortest start in six years.
Shoo and Prince Fielder each had two hits in the third, when Texas sent 14 batters to the plate. Fielder finished with three RBIs and hit his third homer in two games.
Martinez (4-0) is one of the season's surprises: He is third in the AL with a 1.96 ERA and has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 15 consecutive starts since last summer.
Now 24, he was primarily a middle infielder at Fordham, hitting .295 with four homers and 66 RBIs over three seasons. He made five relief appearances as a freshman, none as a sophomore and 10 as a junior, totaling 26 1/3 innings.
His career path changed on March 14, 2011, when he threw four shutout innings of three-hit ball against Charleston Southern that completed the Rams' four-game southern swing. Jay Heafner, a Rangers' scout, was in the stands.
"What stuck out to me was the athleticism translated pretty well on the mound," Heafner said. "He didn't really look like a position player trying to pitch, a mere thrower. He actually had some tilt to the ball. All that stuff kind of culminated into thinking there was a chance he could make the transition."
Heafner had been told to watch Martinez by Juan Alvarez, a former major leaguer who also was a Rangers scout at the time. When Martinez was a junior at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Kendall, Florida -- a school founded in Havana in 1854 and relocated to Florida in 1961 after Fidel Castro's revolution -- Martinez's father called Alvarez and asked him to give Nick pitching lessons. Alvarez, who lived about four blocks away, had a mound in his backyard.
"The first day I saw Nick," recalled Alvarez, now a Cleveland scout, "I told his father, `I've never seen your son play shortstop. I've never seen him hit. But with that type of arm, I guarantee his future is going to be on the mound."
Heafner spoke to Martinez before the draft and told him Texas wanted him to make the switch.
"When they first came with the idea, I really wanted to be a position player, but you do what you can with the opportunity," Martinez said.
He was drafted on the 18th round in 2011 with the 564th pick and signed for a $60,000 bonus. He worked his way through the minor leagues and made the jump from Double-A to the majors for his debut in April 2014. He went 5-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 24 starts and five relief appearances last season. Texas is 8-1 in his starts this year, nearly half the wins for a team that is 20-23.
"Growing up right in front of our eyes," manager Jeff Banister said. "Nick's been a guy that's been in complete control. His composure on the mound has been spectacular really. He has not shown any anxiety anywhere, no nervousness."
During the last two spring trainings and on a West Coast trip in 2014, Martinez discussed pitching with Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, the brother of Texas pitching coach Mike Maddux.
"We talked mostly about sequencing, reading hitters' swings, the mindset of the game," Martinez said. "Attack hitters early in the count. That's how you create early contact. We've only really just scratched the surface."
Mike Maddux says confidence is a factor.
"He knows that he can pitch in the big leagues. That's the biggest thing," he said. "He knows where his outs are and understands a swing. He can read hitters well."
Martinez walked Brett Gardner and Alex Rodriguez in the first, then retired Mark Teixeira on a popup and struck out Chase Headley.
"Big key," Banister said. "That inning could have become a little problematic."
New York didn't get a hit until a fourth-inning infield single by Alex Rodriguez.
"He gave me a little shout out when he got to second," Martinez said. "He kind of just winked, said, `What's up?' Gave me a head nod. I got his autograph a couple times, and he knows my high school coach."
Martinez allowed solo homers to Carlos Beltran in the sixth and Didi Gregorius in the seventh, giving up five hits overall.
"He did a good job of staying off the middle of the plate and working the corners," Gardner said. "He kept us off-balance. It's not like he's going to light up the radar gun, but he knows how to pitch."
When he pitched at Yankee Stadium for the first time last August, Martinez arranged tickets for 15 former college teammates and two coaches. This time, he did not leave any.
"They were able to get their own tickets," he said. "It's nice. It saved some cash."
BIG INNING
Texas sent 14 batters to the plate in the highest-scoring inning for the Rangers since an 11-run third against Houston in a 16-5 win over Aug. 29, 2013, according to STATS. Texas won its fourth straight and at 20-23 is three games under .500 for the first time since starting 6-9.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Yovani Gallardo (3-6) has lost four of his last five starts going into Sunday night's game.
1:05PM,EDT, May 23,2015
Yankee Stadium, New York, New York
Yankee Stadium, New York, New York
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Texas - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| DeShields struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| Choo grounded out to first. | 0 | 0 |
| Fielder struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Gardner walked. | 0 | 0 |
| Beltrán flied out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| Gardner stole second. | 0 | 0 |
| Rodriguez walked. | 0 | 0 |
| Teixeira popped out to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Headley struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Beltré grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Moreland struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Andrus singled to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Rosales singled to right, Andrus to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Corporán struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Drew struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| Gregorius grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Murphy struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Smolinski walked. | 0 | 0 |
| DeShields reached on infield single to shortstop, Smolinski to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Choo singled to center, Smolinski scored, DeShields to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Fielder singled to right, DeShields scored, Choo to second, Choo scored, Fielder to second on error by right fielder Beltrán. | 3 | 0 |
| Beltré singled to right, Fielder to third. | 3 | 0 |
| Moreland fouled out to first. | 3 | 0 |
| Beltré to second on wild pitch by Sabathia. | 3 | 0 |
| Andrus singled to right center, Fielder and Beltré scored. | 5 | 0 |
| Rogers relieved Sabathia. | 5 | 0 |
| Rosales hit by pitch, Andrus to second. | 5 | 0 |
| Corporán hit a ground rule double to left, Andrus scored, Rosales to third. | 6 | 0 |
| Smolinski hit sacrifice fly to center, Rosales scored. | 7 | 0 |
| DeShields walked. | 7 | 0 |
| Choo homered to left (335 feet), Corporán and DeShields scored. | 10 | 0 |
| Fielder singled to right center. | 10 | 0 |
| Beltré grounded out to third. | 10 | 0 |
| 10 Runs, 8 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Heathcott flied out to center. | 10 | 0 |
| Gardner struck out looking. | 10 | 0 |
| Beltrán grounded out to second. | 10 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Esmil Rogers pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Moreland grounded out to first. | 10 | 0 |
| Andrus struck out swinging. | 10 | 0 |
| Rosales popped out to first. | 10 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Rodriguez reached on infield single to second, Rodriguez to second on throwing error by second baseman Rosales. | 10 | 0 |
| Teixeira grounded out to pitcher. | 10 | 0 |
| Headley grounded out to shortstop. | 10 | 0 |
| Drew flied out to left. | 10 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Esmil Rogers pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Corporán struck out swinging. | 10 | 0 |
| Smolinski lined out to center. | 10 | 0 |
| DeShields struck out swinging. | 10 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Gregorius flied out to left. | 10 | 0 |
| Murphy grounded out to third. | 10 | 0 |
| Heathcott flied out to left. | 10 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Esmil Rogers pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Choo walked. | 10 | 0 |
| Fielder walked, Choo to second. | 10 | 0 |
| Beltré singled to right, Choo to third, Fielder to second. | 10 | 0 |
| Choo scored, Fielder to third, Beltré to second on wild pitch by Rogers. | 11 | 0 |
| Moreland lined out to second. | 11 | 0 |
| Pinder relieved Rogers. | 11 | 0 |
| Andrus hit sacrifice fly to left, Fielder scored, Beltré to third. | 12 | 0 |
| Rosales singled to left center, Beltré scored. | 13 | 0 |
| Corporán struck out swinging. | 13 | 0 |
| 3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Pirela hit for Gardner. | 13 | 0 |
| Pirela flied out to right. | 13 | 0 |
| Beltrán homered to right center (397 feet). | 13 | 1 |
| Rodriguez struck out looking. | 13 | 1 |
| Jones hit for Teixeira. | 13 | 1 |
| Jones singled to right. | 13 | 1 |
| Young hit for Headley. | 13 | 1 |
| Young grounded out to third. | 13 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Branden Pinder pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Pirela at second base. | 13 | 1 |
| Jones at first base. | 13 | 1 |
| Young in left field. | 13 | 1 |
| Drew at third base. | 13 | 1 |
| Smolinski singled to left. | 13 | 1 |
| DeShields flied out to right. | 13 | 1 |
| Choo flied out to left. | 13 | 1 |
| Fielder homered to right center (390 feet), Smolinski scored. | 15 | 1 |
| Field hit for Beltré. | 15 | 1 |
| Field struck out swinging. | 15 | 1 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Field at second base. | 15 | 1 |
| Rosales at third base. | 15 | 1 |
| Drew grounded out to shortstop. | 15 | 1 |
| Gregorius homered to right center (391 feet). | 15 | 2 |
| Murphy safe at first on error by center fielder DeShields. | 15 | 2 |
| Heathcott singled to right center, Murphy to second. | 15 | 2 |
| Pirela grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Heathcott out at second, Murphy to third. | 15 | 2 |
| Beltrán grounded out to second. | 15 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Branden Pinder pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Moreland doubled to deep right. | 15 | 2 |
| Andrus lined out to center. | 15 | 2 |
| Rosales grounded out to pitcher, Moreland to third. | 15 | 2 |
| Corporán struck out swinging. | 15 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Alex Claudio pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Claudio relieved Martinez. | 15 | 2 |
| Rodriguez hit by pitch. | 15 | 2 |
| Jones grounded out to first, Rodriguez to second. | 15 | 2 |
| Young fouled out to pitcher. | 15 | 2 |
| Drew struck out swinging. | 15 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Branden Pinder pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Smolinski popped out to first. | 15 | 2 |
| Rodriguez at first base. | 15 | 2 |
| Jones relieved Pinder. | 15 | 2 |
| DeShields walked. | 15 | 2 |
| Choo grounded out to first, DeShields to second. | 15 | 2 |
| Martín hit for Fielder. | 15 | 2 |
| Martín hit by pitch. | 15 | 2 |
| Field flied out to center. | 15 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Anthony Bass pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Bass relieved Claudio. | 15 | 2 |
| Gregorius singled to right. | 15 | 2 |
| Murphy tripled to deep left center, Gregorius scored. | 15 | 3 |
| Heathcott grounded out to second, Murphy scored. | 15 | 4 |
| Pirela grounded out to shortstop. | 15 | 4 |
| Beltrán struck out looking. | 15 | 4 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas Rangers | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| DeShields CF | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 28 | .271 | .400 | .371 |
| Choo RF | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 19 | .238 | .319 | .456 |
| Fielder DH | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 15 | .351 | .407 | .544 |
b-Martín PH-DH
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .218 | .261 | .316 |
| Beltré 3B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | .257 | .293 | .406 |
a-Field PH-2B
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | .250 | .314 | .469 |
| Moreland 1B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | .314 | .384 | .535 |
| Andrus SS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 18 | .235 | .295 | .288 |
| Rosales 2B-3B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | .189 | .246 | .302 |
| Corporán C | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 18 | .193 | .284 | .298 |
| Smolinski LF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 | .151 | .299 | .226 |
| Totals | 40 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 5 | 10 | 183 | |||
| a-struck out swinging for A Beltre in the 7th b-hit by pitch for P Fielder in the 9th | ||||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Corporán (3, Rogers); Moreland (7, Pinder) HR: Choo (7, 3rd inning off Rogers 2 on, 2 Out); Fielder (8, 7th inning off Pinder 1 on, 2 Out) RBI: Choo 4 (22), Fielder 3 (30), Andrus 3 (14), Corporán (5), Smolinski (6), Rosales (5) SF: Smolinski, Andrus 2-out RBI: Choo 3, Rosales, Fielder 2 Rangers RISP: 8-15 (Choo 2-2, Fielder 1-1, Beltré 2-2, Rosales 1-2, Corporán 1-3, Field 0-1, Moreland 0-2, Andrus 1-2) Team LOB: 7 | ||||||||||
| FIELDING E: Rosales (2, throw); DeShields (2, line drive) | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Yankee Stadium, New York, NY |
| Attendance | 42,067 (85.5% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:03 |
| Weather | 60 degrees, sunny |
| Wind | 7 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Brian Knight, First Base - Toby Basner, Second Base - Larry Vanover, Third Base - Ron Kulpa |
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