[0] UNRUSTY MARTINEZ DOMINATES EXPOS : DODGERS 2, MONTREAL 1.Byline: Eric Noland Daily News Staff Writer He had missed 5-1/2 weeks to a severe groin strain, but when Ramon Martinez Ramon Martinez is the name of several people:
Good thing. Because the Dodgers needed every painted corner, every overpowering fastball, every well-positioned curve. Every out. On a night when Martinez allowed only one tainted run over six impressive innings of work against the Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (French: Les Expos de Montréal) were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until 2004. After the 2004 season, the franchise relocated to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals. , the Dodgers scraped together just enough output to trump that and expelled a great breath of relief while taking a 2-1 victory before 37,942 fans at Dodger Stadium • • [ . ``When you are not scoring runs, you have to execute, you have to manufacture runs,'' said manager Tom Lasorda, ``but you can't make any mistakes. You can't give the opposition anything.'' Martinez, showing few ill effects from his interminable layoff, certainly didn't. Neither did Antonio Osuna Antonio Pedro Osuna (born April 12, 1973 in Sinaloa, Mexico) is a former major league relief pitcher. He batted right and threw right. Antonio weighs 225 pounds and is 5 feet 10 inches tall. in two strong setup innings. Nor Todd Worrell And the Dodgers backed them with the usual skin-of-the-teeth complement of runs. Even though Montreal's starter, Tavo Alvarez, had to leave the game with a pulled hamstring after facing only two batters, the Dodgers managed just two runs off the depths of the Expos bullpen - one on Raul Mondesi's home run in the second, another when Mike Piazza Michael Joseph Piazza (born September 4, 1968 in Norristown, Pennsylvania) is an American Major League Baseball player who currently plays for the Oakland Athletics. He began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and played for the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres singled home Roger Cedeno in the fifth. If it seems vaguely familiar, it should. The Dodgers' total of 147 runs is the lowest in the major leagues this season - a paltry average of 3.68 per game. Thus, when Martinez defies any expected rustiness and has an outing such as this, it is more imperative than luxury. ``I want the team to have a different attitude,'' said the Dodgers' ace, who hiked his record to 2-0. ``If I'm sitting on the bench, all I can say is, `Come on, guys, keep it up.' Now that I'm out there, the attitude of the team is very aggressive. ``I'm glad to be back, because I can help the team.'' But who could have expected so much help so quickly? Martinez scattered five hits over six innings, struck out three and found a seat on the bench only after delivering 98 pitches in his first assignment back. Moreover, he accomplished this against the most explosive team in the National League. Montreal, which had won nine of its previous 11 games, entered this one with a team batting average batting average n. Baseball A measure of a batter's performance obtained by dividing the total of base hits by the number of times at bat, not including walks. Noun 1. of .289 and five players with 20 or more RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in . Did Martinez, after so long a layoff, expect his outing to be a bit rougher than it was? ``I thought it would be. Truthfully, yes,'' he said. ``When I walked in, I knew I had pitched in the minor leagues (on two rehabilitation assignments). But this is the real game. This is a very hot team, with five guys hitting over .300. ``I had a good game in Vero Beach Vero Beach (vēr`o), city (1990 pop. 17,350), seat of Indian River co., E Fla., on Indian River (a lagoon and part of the Intracoastal Waterway); founded c.1888, inc. 1919. (Single-A, last Thursday). I told myself just to bring that game with me. . . . ``I can't say I was sharp like 100 percent, but it was OK. I had control of the strike zone.'' So did Worrell, which was a source of considerable relief for the Dodgers. Worrell had blown save opportunities in two of his previous four outings, including an excruciating, ninth-inning loss to Montreal Monday night. But, after giving up a scratch single to F.P. Santangelo to open the ninth, he struck out pinch-hitter Sherman Obando Sherman Omar Gainor Obando (born January 23, 1970 in Bocas del Toro Province, Panama) is a former major league baseball player who played for the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos. His main position was outfield, but often played as a first baseman or designated hitter. and Dave Silvestri The run off Martinez, which came in the second inning, wasn't the least bit clean. With a runner on and two out, Montreal's Shane Andrews sent a blooper into shallow center. Cedeno at first broke back on the ball before realizing his misjudgment mis·judge v. mis·judged, mis·judg·ing, mis·judg·es v.tr. To judge wrongly. v.intr. To be wrong in judging. , then charged forward but couldn't glove the ball on a diving try. The run scored on the double. Obviously, the twilight sky was presenting a particularly nasty backdrop in center field, because a half-inning later, the Expos' Santangelo completely lost the fly ball of Mike Blowers and had it fall at his feet for a double. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Moises Alou of the Montreal Expos dives back to firs t, beating the tag of the Dodgers' Eric Karros in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Associated Press |
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