Expos Stop Martinez, BoSox

Mike Thurman got a standing ovation from the Olympic Stadium crowd that came out to salute another pitcher.

Thurman pitched 7 1-3 strong innings and the Montreal Expos halted Pedro Martinez's nine-game winning streak, beating the Boston Red Sox 13-1 Wednesday night to sweep the three-game series.

"What a great feeling to come off the field with the fans cheering for you," Thurman said. "It sent chills down my spine. That's probably the best feeling I've had as a pro ballplayer."

A crowd of 19,012, the Expos' second-largest of the season, saw Martinez's first appearance in Montreal since he was traded to Boston on Nov. 18, 1997 after winning the NL Cy Young Award with the Expos.

"What an unbelievable game," Thurman said. "Obviously the fans here love Pedro and they're pulling for him but I think when it came down to it, they really wanted us to win."

Martinez (11-2), who struck out a career-high 16 in his last start, allowed four runs on six hits in six innings, tying his shortest outing of the season. He struck out 10, his ninth game this season with double-digit strikeouts.

"I just wanted to come back here and keep on rolling but they beat me," Martinez said. "If I'm ever going to lose to a team, I'd rather lose to this team. Not to any other."

Rondell White went 3-for-5 with one RBI and reliever Guillermo Mota homered in his first major league at-bat during an eight-run, eighth inning for the Expos. Manny Martinez added a two-run shot during the big inning.

"I was looking for my pitch to hit a line drive and get a base hit up the middle," Mota said. "I swung and you saw what happened."

Thurman (2-3) held the Red Sox to five hits and one run, an RBI double by Jose Offerman with one out in the eighth, before giving way to Mota, who got the last two outs of the inning. Thurman struck out three and walked two in his longest career outing.

Michael Barrett hit a two-run single off Martinez in the sixth after the Expos scored a pair in the fourth.

"That's the best pitcher I've ever faced," Barrett said. "He brought a lot of pitches to the table, a lot of weapons."

The Expos, who outscored Boston 26-4 in the series, are 6-0 at home against the Red Sox in interleague play. Neither team has won a game in the other's park as Boston swept a three-game series from the Expos last June 30-July 2 at Fenway Park.

Martinez allowed just a leadoff walk to Shane Andrews in the first three innings before Jose Vidro doubled leading off the fourth.

White followed with an RBI single, went to second as catcher Jason Varitek threw out Orlando Merced on a slow roller in front of the plate, and scored on Vladimir Guerrero's single to give Montreal a 2-0 lead.

Martinez struck out the side in the fifth but White got his second straight single with one out in the sixth and advanced to third on Merced's double. Martinez walked Guerrero intentionally to load the bases and Barrett drove a single to right to put the Expos up 4-0.

"It was in the strike zone and that was a mistake and he took advantage of it," Martinez said. "He's a good hitter and he's going to be a great one, just like Vlady and those guys. He has a lot of talent. He did what he had to do. He hit the ball over the middle and got two ribbies and knocked me out."

Montreal scored its fifth run in the seventh on Vidro's RBI single off Mark Portugal, who was making his second relief appearance for the Red Sox.

Notes: Pedro Martinez raised his arm to acknowledge the crowd's standing ovation as he took the mound in the first. He was given another standing ovation as he stepped to the plate for the first time in the third. ... Boston hadn't lost five straight since losing six in a row from May 23-29 last season. ... Pedro Martinez's last appearance as a visiting pitcher at Olympic Stadium was on July 4, 1993 with Los Angeles. ... Pitcher Josh Girdley, Montreal's first-round pick in this year's June draft, threw in the bullpen prior to the game. Girdley, who signed last Friday after Montreal chose him sixth overall, wore an Expos cap and jersey No. 9 with his name across the back as he sat with his family and watched the game from an aisle seat five rows behind home plate.

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