DODGERS DRIVE DONTRELLE BATTY OFFENSE COMES ALIVE AGAINST UNLIKLEY VICTIM DODGERS 14, FLORIDA 5.

Byline: Tony Jackson Staff Writer

The Dodgers had struggled so mightily to score runs of late that they could have made the most ordinary pitcher look like Dontrelle Willis. On Tuesday night, in the first inning of the last game in which anyone expected them to break out of their offensive doldrums, they made Willis himself look decidedly ordinary.

And what they did to the National League's hottest pitcher was nothing compared to what they did to the Florida relievers who followed him.

In a 14-5 pasting of the Marlins in front of 37,481 at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers hung a first-inning four-spot on Willis en route to handing him his first loss of the season. The fact that Willis settled in and became his usual, dominating self in the interim was only incidental to what was a far bigger story for the Dodgers, who will face Willis' equally daunting teammate Josh Beckett this afternoon.

The bigger story was a monumental offensive breakthrough that included four runs in the first inning, four more in the seventh and six in the eighth. It included season highs in runs and hits (19). And, most notably, it included a collective 8 for 16 with runners in scoring position, a situation in which the Dodgers had gone 3 for 21 the previous two games.

It also included a host of individual highlights:

--Cesar Izturis, the only member of the Dodgers lineup who wasn't affected by the team-wide slump, went 5 for 6, scored twice and drove in two runs. It was his second career five-hit game.

--Jason Repko, the struggling rookie, went 3 for 5 with two doubles and scored three times.

--Jeff Kent went 3 for 5, scored three times and drove in four runs, snapping a 5-for-36 skid.

--Olmedo Saenz went 3 for 4 with a double, a three-run homer and a career-high five RBI.

--And Derek Lowe turned in a quality start, allowing three runs on four hits over 6 2/3 innings and holding the Marlins sufficiently at bay until the late-inning, offensive explosion.

``This game has a rhythm, and it is contagious,'' Kent said. ``It has a rhythm on defense and a rhythm on offense. Once you get into a groove, it just continues to flow. I'm not saying it happens all the time, but it just makes it a little easier.''

This is not the first time since the Dodgers have been in their offensive rut that they have appeared to break out. They scored 13 runs May 6 at Cincinnati, then reverted to form the following day. They scored nine runs May 10 at St. Louis, then went right back to struggling. But the latest breakout came against a club with the best ERA in the majors, it began against a pitcher who came in leading the National League in wins, ERA, complete games and shutouts, and it concluded against a bullpen that had allowed just 76 hits in 90 innings.

``A lot of those hits came with men on base,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``What we were looking for (against Willis) didn't change all that much (from other pitchers). We just tried to get good pitches to swing at. I didn't think his command was as good as what it (normally is). But give him credit, because he settled in very, very well.''

Despite not giving up another run after that disastrous first inning, Willis (7-1) lost for the first time since last Sept. 26. His ERA rose from 1.08 to 1.45.

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 4 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Derek Lowe takes a no-hitter into the fourth inning, scattering four hits over 6 2/3 innings to earn his third victory.

(2 -- color) Dontrelle Willis can't stop the Dodgers, giving up four first-inning runs en route to his first defeat this season.

(3) Jeff Kent, who went 3 for 5 to break out of a 5-for-36 slump, drives home Cesar Izturis in the four-run seventh inning.

Danny Moloshok/Associated Press

Box:

(1) DODGERS vs. FLORIDA

- Tony Jackson

(2) GAME RECAP

(3) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(4) ALMANAC