By Michael P. Ventura
DNAinfo Associate Editor
MANHATTAN — After being dominated by Philadelphia Phillies lefty Cliff Lee in Game 1, the Yankees face old nemesis Pedro Martinez in Game 2 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium Thursday night.
Martinez pitched many memorable games against the Yankees during his seven years with the Boston Red Sox.
"I respect the Yankees. I love the Yankees. But I would love to beat them as bad as I look forward to them," Martinez told reporters last week, the Associated Press reported.
The 38-year-old right hander pitched seven shutout innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his only start of the National League Championship Series on Oct. 16. Martinez is 1-2 with a 4.98 ERA in six career postseason games against New York, including five starts.
Many Yankee fans still remember Martinez throwing Bombers bench coach Don Zimmer to the ground during a brawl at Fenway Park in 2003. They also remember his colorful quotes about the Yankees during his time with the hated Red Sox.
For example, there's: "I don't believe in rivalries. I don't believe in curses. Wake up the damn Bambino, maybe I'll drill him in the ass."
And, of course: "I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddies."
Expect "Who's your daddy?" Bronx cheers at Game 2.
The Phillies hope Martinez can give them the kind of outing Lee did on Wednesday. Lee gave up one unearned run, struck out 10 and went the distance to lead Philadelphia to a 6-1 win over the Yankees in Game 1.
"You’ve got to be unpredictable,” Lee said, according to the New York Times. “You’ve got to show them stuff they haven’t seen before. Mix speeds, mix locations, and don’t get into patterns, because that offense is pretty potent."
Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was 0-4, as was first baseman Mark Teixeira. The two sluggers struck out a combined five times. Yankee Captain Derek Jeter, though, had three hits and scored a run.
"The bottom line is that we've got to swing the bats better than we did," Jeter said, according to the Daily News. "Cliff went out there with a game plan and he stuck to it. He was tough on us."
The Yankees will send shaky right hander A.J. Burnett to the mound Thursday night.
"It's big," Rodriguez, who struck out three times in Game 1, told the News. "We need to take it back to Philly 1-1."
But fans were not panicking — yet.
"That's why we play seven games," fan Joe Valente, 24, told the New York Post. "Hopefully, we win tomorrow and go to Philly and see what we can do."
Martinez won't be the only big name attraction at the Stadium Thursday night.
Fans will also enjoy performances by singer John Legend, who will sing the national anthem, and Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, who will sing the rapper's anthem "Empire State of Mind." That performance was scheduled to open Game 1, but was postponed due to rain.
The bold faced names are expected to return to the stands, too. Both Kate Hudson and Minka Kelly, the main squeezes to Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, respectively, attended the first game of the series. Actors Alec Baldwin, Kurt Russell and Matthew McConaughey, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordan, Rangers immortal Mark Messier and directors Spike Lee and Steven Speilberg were also there.
