Boston scores three times in the bottom of the eighth to top Cleveland.

BOSTON – Pinch-hitter David McCarty had a two-run triple that broke an eighth-inning tie Tuesday night and Pedro Martinez struck out 11 to lead the Boston Red Sox over the Cleveland Indians 5-3.

Alan Embree (1-0) won despite giving up Victor Martinez’s solo homer in the eighth, the only hit he allowed. Keith Foulke pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

Victor Martinez doubled in two runs in the first, but Boston tied the score on solo homers by Gabe Kapler in the third and David Ortiz in the fourth. Martinez gave Cleveland a 3-2 lead in the eighth, but Boston scored three in the bottom half against Jose Jimenez (0-2).

Ortiz and Bill Mueller doubled with two outs to make it 3-3, and Kapler bounced a single up the middle that was fielded by Ronnie Belliard behind second base, preventing the go-ahead run. Brian Daubach was announced to pinch hit for Pokey Reese, and Scott Stewart came on to relieve.

McCarty batted for Daubach and lined the ball down the first-base line into the corner, scoring both runners.

Indians starter C.C. Sabathia allowed two runs, six hits and three walks in seven innings.

Martinez retired his last 16 batters but needed 115 pitches to get through seven innings. After he made the last putout of the seventh on a grounder to the right side, Martinez walked off the field to a standing ovation and threw the ball to a kid behind the dugout. Ortiz put his arm around the pitcher and slapped his hand, and Martinez received more of the same from the dugout.

It was Pedro Martinez’s 94th game with at least 10 strikeouts, third-most among active pitchers and fifth overall. His next will be his 68th with Boston, which would tie him with Roger Clemens for most in team history.

Embree relieved him to start the eighth and got the first two batters but gave up a two-out homer to Victor Martinez. Since moving into the cleanup spot last week, Martinez has 13 RBIs in nine games

What turned out to be another good outing for Martinez didn’t start that way. After striking out Matt Lawton to lead off the game, he gave up three consecutive hits, including Victor Martinez’s two-run double.

Notes: With one out in the second, Boston trainer Chris Correnti came out to the mound to check on Pedro Martinez, who appeared to have a blister on his right hand. … Martinez struck out Lawton in the second inning for his 1,500th strikeout with Boston. He is second on the team’s list behind Clemens (2,590). … The Indians have scored two runs in the first inning in each of the six games against Boston this season. … OF Jody Greet singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games. … RHP Bobby Howry was sent to the Indians’ Triple-A team in Buffalo after a stint in extended spring training. He is rehabbing from right elbow surgery in 2003. … RHP Jeff D’Amico returned to Cleveland to have his lower back examined. He lasted just 2 2-3 innings Monday and has been plagued by back problems all season. … Boston OF Manny Ramirez celebrated his return to the Red Sox by carrying an American flag out with him when he took the field in left to start the game. Ramirez officially became a U.S. citizen during a ceremony Monday in Miami. … It was Boston’s 80th consecutive sellout. … The Red Sox have had 10 or more hits in seven of their last eight games.

AP-ES-05-11-04 2152EDT