Martinez struggles, but Sox hold on against Cardinals

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Pedro Martinez had his third straight tough outing for Boston, allowing four runs in five innings, but the Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 Thursday.

Martinez, coming back from a shoulder injury, was dominant at times, and struck out eight. But he was hit hard in the third and fifth innings. In the third, Kerry Robinson led off with a single, Placido Polanco walked, and J.D. Drew hit a two-run double.

Robinson led off the fifth with another single, then scored when Eduardo Perez homered to give St. Louis a 4-2 lead.

Martinez allowed six runs in four innings in his last spring training start, and three runs in 2 2/3 innings in his prior start. His spring ERA is 8.56.

Cardinals starter Bud Smith allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings after allowing just one run in 12 previous innings.

Boston took a 1-0 lead on Johnny Damon's home run in the first inning. Boston took the lead for good, 5-4, in the fifth on an RBI single by Rey Sanchez and a two-run single by Nomar Garciaparra.

Lou Merloni added a three-run homer for Boston in the sixth.

Drew left the game in the third inning after feeling soreness his right knee. He said he expects to play today.

Elsewhere

PHILLIES:Philadelphia will miss manager Larry Bowa for one game once the season starts.

Bowa was suspended for a game and fined because of his ejection during the first inning of a spring training game March 9.

Bob Watson, baseball's vice president of discipline, cited Bowa for "his inappropriate conduct toward the umpires before and after his ejection."

Bowa will be allowed to manage Philadelphia's opener at Atlanta on April 1, then will be suspended for the Phillies' next game, at Turner Field on April 3. He plans to appeal.

DIAMONDBACKS:Erubiel Durazo, Arizona's first baseman, will be sidelined for six weeks after surgery to remove a broken bone in his right wrist.

Durazo, the leading hitter in all of baseball this spring with a .535 average, was injured when he swung at and missed a pitch from Dave Lundquist in the sixth inning of Wednesday's game against the Padres.

This is the second injury to hit the World Series champions this spring. Third baseman Matt Williams is out at least until July with a broken ankle.

ASTROS:Former Houston third baseman Ken Caminiti pleaded guilty to cocaine possession and was sentenced to three years probation.

Caminiti, 38, must receive counseling three times a week, speak to students about drugs, continue attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and submit to periodic urinalysis. The judge also ordered Caminiti to pay a $2,000 fine.

-- From wire reports