By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

FORT MYERS, Fla. - You knew this one was different when you saw the lines at the gates. There were several hundred people waiting to get in - three hours before the first pitch.

Red Sox starting pitcher Pedro Martinez threw two innings, giving up one earned run while striking out two and walking one. (AP photo)

The Reds, who have had a quiet spring, took the trip south to play the Boston Red Sox. Pedro Martinez started for the Red Sox, and Curt Schilling followed. But the Reds' pitchers - Cory Lidle, Aaron Harang, Ryan Wagner, Chris Reitsma and Brian Reith - trumped the Boston aces in a 3-2 victory. The Red Sox managed only three hits.

"It's always different with the first night game," Adam Dunn said. "You play all those day games in the spring, and it's tough to get adrenaline going. Tonight, it felt like a regular game."

Martinez, in his first outing of the spring, went two innings and allowed a run and a hit. He struck out two and walked one. Schilling went 3 2/3 innings, allowing a run on two hits, and struck out five and walked none.

Lidle (three innings, one run, one hit, two strikeouts, one walk) and Harang (three innings, one run, two hits, five strikeouts, no walks) were just as good. The Reds trotted out the closest thing to their projected lineup that they have all spring; all the regulars started, although Austin Kearns, rehabilitating after surgery on his right shoulder, was at designated hitter and Reggie Taylor was in right field.

Ken Griffey, Jr. watches his RBI double down the line in right, off Sox starter Pedro Martinez in first inning. (AP photo)

Ken Griffey Jr. wanted to get in on the fun. He originally was not on the roster to come to Fort Myers, but he asked to be in the lineup - maybe because he owns Martinez in March.

Griffey, who is 0-for-12 against Martinez in the regular season, said he is 4-for-5 against him in the spring.

Make that 5-for-6. Griffey doubled into the right-field corner in the first inning to score D'Angelo Jimenez and give the Reds a 1-0 lead. The Red Sox scored off Lidle in the first to tie it, but Dunn gave the Reds a 2-1 edge with his second home run in as many days - a shot to right off Schilling. Boston tied it on Gabe Kapler's homer off Harang in the sixth before Javier Valentin drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the eighth off ex-Red Scott Williamson.