• Preview
• Bleachers

Martinez to start in Yankees-Mets nightcap

Jun 27, 2008 - 1:23 PM NY Yankees at NY Mets, 8:10 p.m. EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- For the third time in the 12-season history of interleague play, the New York Mets and the New York Yankees will engage in a two-venue doubleheader. The Mets host the Yankees in the nightcap.

Pedro Martinez (2-1, 6.57 ERA) will go for the Mets at Shea Stadium, looking to improve on a disastrous outing against the Colorado Rockies last Saturday. The veteran righthander breezed through the first four innings at Colorado before surrendering six runs in the fifth while retiring just one batter in the frame.

Martinez has a long history against the Yankees, going 11-10 with a 3.03 ERA in 31 career starts - most of which came while he was a member of the Boston Red Sox from 1998-2004.

The Yankees will counter with their latest attempt at a pitching reclamation project, Sidney Ponson (4-1, 3.88). The portly righthander was released by the Texas Rangers on June 16 "for disrespecting teammates and club personnel," according to Texas general manager Jon Daniels.

Ponson reportedly was warned that further problems would not be tolerated after he created a disturbance in a hotel bar in St. Petersburg, Florida during a Rangers' road trip. He also reacted angrily after being taken out of a June 4 game against the Cleveland Indians

After that incident, Daniels said, "We don't feel Sidney deserves to be here or wants to be here."

This will be Ponson's second stint with the Yankees after he went 0-1 with a 10.47 ERA in five games - three starts - in 2006.