Final
Martinez, Mets look to take two from Rangers
Jun 14, 2008 - 1:46 PM Texas (34-35) at NY Mets (32-34) 7:10 p.m. EDTFLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- With their manager's job reportedly once again hanging in the balance, the New York Mets will attempt to clinch an interleague series when they host the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
Manager Willie Randolph was on thin ice a few weeks ago after making some comments in an interview about how he was being portrayed on the Mets' cable network and suggesting there might be a racial component to the criticism he was receiving.
The remarks drew the attention of New York ownership, which asked Randolph to make a public apology and then had a much-publicized meeting with the embattled manager.
Randolph made it out of that meeting unscathed, but reports again surfaced during the day on Friday that his job was in jeopardy after the Mets dropped six of seven to the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks.
He may have saved his position for at least one more day on Friday, however, as New York posted a 7-1 triumph in the series opener against the Rangers. Oliver Perez allowed just one run and three hits while striking out eight in seven innings and drove in two runs with a single.
Pedro Martinez (1-0, 6.91 ERA) will try to save his manager for an additional day when he takes the mound for New York on Saturday. The three-time Cy Young award winner got knocked around in his last start, allowing four runs and 10 hits in five innings Sunday at San Diego but did not factor in the decision.
Martinez is 13-8 with a 3.01 career ERA in 29 interleague starts and is 9-2 with a 1.90 ERA in 13 career starts against Texas.
The Rangers will counter with lefthander Kason Gabbard (1-2, 4.75), who has been pitching for Class AAA Oklahoma since the end of May. The sinkerball specialist has not earned a win since April 4 and was awful over his last three starts for Texas, going 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA while issuing 15 walks in 12 combined innings.
Gabbard is 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two career interleague starts, including a loss against Houston on May 18 in which he allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings.
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