Dodgers Martin gets go-ahead hit to beat Mets 2-1

[May 22, 2009]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Russell Martin drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning single and the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the New York Mets with a 2-1 victory on Wednesday night.

Orlando Hudson singled with one out in the eighth against J.J. Putz (1-3), who walked Andre Ethier before Martin lined the right-hander's 1-0 pitch to left field for his 16th RBI of the season. The clutch hit helped the defending NL West champions improve their major league-best record to 29-13 and extend their division lead over San Francisco to 8 1/2 games.

Martin was 0-for-11 in the series before that hit.

Rookie left-hander Brent Leach (1-0) got his first major league win, retiring both batters he faced in the eighth. Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless ninth for his 11th save in 13 attempts.

The Mets, 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position and 3 for 27 overall in the series, squandered an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the eighth after putting runners at second and third with one out.

Leach replaced Ronald Belisario and escaped the jam, retiring Daniel Murphy on a grounder to first with the infield in and getting pinch-hitter Fernando Tatis on a grounder to short.

Mets shortstop Jose Reyes was replaced by Ramon Martinez in the bottom of the third inning after aggravating a troublesome right calf that forced him to miss five games. The Mets' all-time stolen base leader tried to leg out a grounder deep in the hole on the right side of the infield, but was thrown out by second baseman Hudson, who made a one-hop throw from the outfield grass.

With left-hander Eric Stults missing his turn in the rotation because of a sprained thumb on his pitching hand, Jeff Weaver made his third start of the season. He allowed a run and four hits over five innings while stranding a runner at third base in each of the first two. Stults is expected to make his next start on Monday afternoon at Colorado.

The Dodgers, who have outscored their opponents 44-14 in the first inning, grabbed a quick 1-0 lead on Ethier's sacrifice fly. The Mets tied it in the third when Carlos Beltran drove in Luis Castillo from first with his second double of the game.

Notes: Jake Uhlenhopp made his major league umpiring debut at age 32 and worked third base in place of James Hoye, who was ill. Uhlenhopp didn't get much advance notice, so he was already in full uniform when his flight from Arizona landed at LAX, according to an umpire's room attendant. The game started with a three-man crew, and Uhlenhopp made his entrance in the middle of the second inning -- 32 minutes after the first pitch. ... Mets LF Murphy started at 1B for the first time in his big league career -- using Carlos Delgado's glove. Delgado is expected to be sidelined until at least late July after undergoing hip surgery on Tuesday. ... The Mets have gone seven games, 69 2-3 innings and 265 official at-bats and since their last home run -- a solo shot by Gary Sheffield on May 13. ... The Dodgers make their first visit to Citi Field on July 7 for a three-game series. They were 121-131 at Shea Stadium during the regular season and 2-3 in the postseason. The Dodgers were 16-2 against them at Polo Grounds, the Mets' home during their first two seasons.

[Associated Press]

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