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With injuries hitting the parent club New York Mets hard, the most recent being outfielder Ryan Church likely heading for the DL due to a sore hamstring, the buzz between Buffalo and New York is that Martinez is soon to get his first call-up.

“No not really,” Martinez said with his trademark smile. “Nobody has said nothing to me (about a call-up). I’ll just be ready for anything. Oh yeah everybody wants to be there…I want to be there. I don’t know when but hopefully soon.”

Batting .291 Martinez currently leads the International League with 25 extra-base hits and extended his hitting streak to seven games on Monday when the Bisons topped the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 8-7 in front of 6,316 fans at Coca-Cola Field.

Strengthening his case for a call-up regardless of the injury situation Martinez’s two-run line drive home run to straight away center to put Buffalo up 7-6 in the seventh inning was huge.

On the field things are starting to turn around as the Bisons (13-29) won their third consecutive game for the first time this season and overcame a 4-0 deficit to do so.

Pounding out 15 hits on the day the Bisons made the most of six hit fourth inning when the first five batters not only all reached but also came home to score.

“I’m happy at the way we’re swinging the bats,” said manager Ken Oberkfell. “We had 15 hits today, we’ve been hitting with runners on base and that’s huge because our pitching is going to come through. We’re going to have games when they don’t come through and if the offense is doing its job we can overcome that.”

Acquired as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2005 the 20-year-old Martinez is rated by Baseball America as the Mets No.1 prospect.

“It’s just (about) working everyday taking at an aggressive pace and not try to do too much,” said Martinez.

Just as impressive as his baseball skills is the mature, easy going way Martinez goes about his day-to-day baseball business and doesn’t allow the call-up rumor distract him from the business at hand.

“He just goes out there plays his game and whatever happens, happens,” said Oberkfell.

Already having the ability to spray the ball to all parts of the field Martinez has gotten better at the one pitch-curveball-that has been giving him fits.

“Yeah,” he said. “We try to be better everyday.”

Brandon Knight (3-3) picked up the win in relief while Elmer Dessens worked a spotless ninth inning for his fifth save of the year. Robinson Cancel (3 for 4), Mike Lamb (2 for 4) and Cory Sullivan (2 for 4) all hit multiple hit games for the Bisons.

Andy Tracy (2 for 4) had four RBI for the IronPigs (16-27).

Notes:

Left-handed pitcher Oliver Perez will begin his rehab assignment with the on Tuesday when he gets the start against IronPigs RHP Drew Carpenter (1-0, 4.02. ERA).

Perez was placed on the disabled list on May 6, retroactive to May 3, with patellar tendonitis in his right knee. Perez, who has won 25 games for the Mets over the past two seasons, was just 1-2 with a 9.97 ERA in five starts with New York this year.

Perez’ last outing was on May 21 when he threw five innings, three scoreless, during an extended spring training game in Port St. Lucie. Catcher Brian Schneider, who is also on the DL, caught all five of Ollie’s innings.

It was Ollie’s second outing in extended spring. Perez threw 56 pitches just three innings in his first extended start on May 16 where he struck out seven and walked four.

Prior to his May 16 outing Perez only action was a pair of bullpen sessions.