SAN JOSE – In an up-and-down season, the Earthquakes have had few losses as painful as the one they endured on Sunday evening.

Masked San Diego goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos had slipped on the goal kick while being rushed by recent San Jose substitute Noel Buck on Sunday afternoon. Instead of the ball blasting high into the air, it trickled softly forward and onto the waiting foot of veteran striker Martinez in the 72nd minute.

With a wide open goal in front of him, but pestered on the sides by San Diego defenders, the Venezulean forward did what he has so often done over his decorated MLS career.

Martinez buried the ball into the back of the net, breaking the scoreless deadlock and appearing for a few moments like he had given the Quakes the winning goal.

But it was not to be.

In the 82nd

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