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Pedro returns to mound in charity game: 'More command than I thought'

Adam Glanzman / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Pedro Martinez has spent the last eight months trying to convince David Ortiz to come out of retirement, but maybe it's the right-hander who should be the one considering a return to the majors.

Wearing his signature No. 45 Boston Red Sox jersey, Martinez appeared on the mound Thursday in Massachusetts for a charity event. The 45-year-old delivered two shutout innings, and impressed even himself with his performance.

"It felt a lot better than I thought, and I'm extremely happy I did it. I certainly think I exceeded the expectations I had of myself because I got two innings in," Martinez said, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. "It was supposed to be one. A lot more command than I thought."

Martinez last pitched for the Red Sox in 2004, and in the majors in 2009. While there was a little rust, Martinez still featured his signature delivery and looked like he could fill in for a spot start or two for the Red Sox down the stretch.

"Everything comes back," Martinez said. "Once you get to the mound, everything comes back. I don't know if you saw me holding the runner and varying the looks and all that. You just react to the emotion you have and that's what I did pretty much. I was having fun."

Martinez ranks third in Red Sox history in strikeouts, and sixth in wins. He became the first pitcher and foreign-born player to have his number retired by the Red Sox in 2015.

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