Martinez earns respect in tough loss

CLEVELAND — Each time Astros hitters made the third out of an inning with the scoreboard extending to the 12th, 13th and 14th innings, Seth Martinez dutifully would grab his glove off the dugout bench and head back onto the Progressive Field grass.

It’s not like there was much choice.

With the bullpen tapped out, the Astros were going with the 28year-old Martinez until he couldn’t go anymore. In the end, the Guardians finally bested him on his career-high 52nd pitch, which Will Brennan hit to right field for a double that ended a long Friday night with a 10-9 Guardians victory in 14 innings.

Usually when a reliever walks off the field while the other team swarms the guy who just delivered a game-winning hit, there’s nothing but misery for the pitcher.

Although Martinez was expectedly glum as he answered questions from reporters about the defeat, others in the clubhouse praised his effort.

“He did a good job,” Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña said. “He kept going out there. He was big for the team today.”

Martinez had to keep going out there because before he entered the game in the 11th inning, the Astros already had used six pitchers. That’s starter Cristian Javier and every arm in the bullpen besides Martinez and

Bryan Abreu, who had already thrown the previous two nights and the team didn’t want to risk the young pitcher’s arm by forcing him to throw three consecutive days. So, Martinez it was. “There really was no conversation,” Martinez said. “I think we were just going to ride or die with me tonight. Just gave it all we could tonight. Unfortunately, we fell a little short. A lot of effort out there just to come up short.”

Astros manager Dusty Baker said he wasn’t sure what he would have done if Martinez couldn’t continue or if the game had gone a few more innings.

Martinez said there was no need for a Plan B, because he felt fine even as he topped 50 pitches for the first time in his three-year big league career.

It looked like he’d done it. Despite both teams starting each extra inning with a runner on second base, Martinez held the

Guardians scoreless in the 11th, then was on his way to doing the same in the 12th. Clinging to a 7-6 lead, Martinez got Brennan to hit a ball to Peña, who tried to turn the game-ending double play by running to second for a force out and throwing to first but his throw was wild, allowing the Guardians to score and extend the game.

Martinez allowed the runner on second to score and tie the game in the 13th, then the deciding two runs to come home in the 14th.

Now, in the cruel world of baseball, Martinez, who still has options remaining, could be a candidate to temporarily be sent down to the minors if the Astros decide they need a fresh arm in the bullpen to get through the final two days of this stretch of 17 straight games without a day off.

There was no talk of that in the aftermath of a draining loss, only verbal tips of the cap.

“He gave us all he had,” Baker said. “That was a gutsy performance.”

1⁄3 Jason Miller/Getty Images Though Astros reliever Seth Martinez lost Friday against the Guardians, his teammates and manager praised his performance. He allowed four runs on four hits with four strikeouts in 3 innings.