Phillies Make Martinez Start a Washout, 8-3 : Baseball: Dodger pitcher gives up four runs in first inning. Rain delays come before game and during the sixth.

Ramon Martinez entered Friday’s game at Veterans Stadium with two consecutive victories and two complete games.

He exited three innings later after reminding everyone of a more important set of twos in his life: He is still 22.

The youngest Dodger pitched like it. He was confused over a rain delay, the signs from catcher Rick Dempsey, and ultimately by the Philadelphia Phillies during the Dodgers’ 8-3 loss.

Martinez lasted only three innings, giving up five runs on four hits in his shortest outing since becoming a regular starter last July. That is only two fewer runs than he had allowed in his previous 28 innings this season, during which he had fashioned a 2-0 record, 2.25 earn-run average and a growing reputation as one of the league’s best young pitchers.

Friday, you could place emphasis on the word young.

“Every time I go out there, I learn a lot of things,” Martinez said. “And I know I need to learn a lot more.”

He was not helped by a Dodger offense that scored its three runs on 11 hits, which translated to 10 runners left on base.

“And all of that was in the first six innings!” said Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda after the final 12 hitters were retired by Phillie reliever Don Carman.

But perhaps the Dodger hitters could be excused. Perhaps like the 8,926 fans, they were just bored. The start of the game was delayed 18 minutes by rain, and then halted by rain with none out in the Dodgers’ half of the sixth. It was then delayed another 1 hour 9 minutes.

By the time the game resumed, there were about 50 people in the stands. If any of them were fans of hitting, they didn’t miss much. With the Dodgers were trailing, 5-3, and runners on first and second, Carman retired Kal Daniels and Eddie Murray on fly-ball outs, and then struck out Hubie Brooks to end the inning.

While Dodger reliever Tim Crews was allowing the Phillies three more runs on a couple of walks and three singles in the seventh, not another Dodger reached base. Carman’s four scoreless innings lowered his ERA to 0.69 in 13 innings. Last year he was 5-15 as a starter; this year he has allowed only four hits in those 13 innings.

Before Friday, Martinez appeared to be headed toward similar low numbers. But he said he began the night feeling awkward because he was given just 13 minutes warning before the delayed start of the game. He has never pitched with a rain delay before.

“I was warmed up, but not like you are when you know what time the game is going to start,” Martinez said.

Once he took the mound, with a one-run cushion thanks to Daniels’ first- inning homer, he looked awkward. Catcher Rick Dempsey ran out for a conference even before Martinez threw his first pitch to discuss the signs.

“We got just a little bit confused,” Martinez said.

Said Dempsey, who had two hits in his first start since missing 19 games with back spasms: “I give the signs different from Mike Scioscia--the proper signs, but different, and Ramon and I just need to communicate better.”

It was the first of three mound meetings in that inning. After Martinez allowed a leadoff walk to Lenny Dykstra and a run-scoring double by Tommy Herr, he was visited by pitching coach Ron Perranoski.

“He told me to calm down,” Martinez said.

The youngster promptly allowed a run-scoring single to Ricky Jordan, and then John Kruk hit a fly ball that eluded a diving Juan Samuel and rolled through the left-field gap for a triple. Out ran Dempsey and shortstop Alfredo Griffin, who appeared to be both scolding and exhorting Martinez.

He allowed a run-scoring grounder to Dickie Thon, and then retired Darren Daulton on a grounder to end the inning. By then, he was nearly worn out. He had thrown 32 pitches in the inning, nearly half of the 66 total pitches he would throw in three innings.

Two innings later, on a 2-and-0 pitch, he allowed Von Hayes’ fourth homer, and he was finished.

“You cannot pitch behind the hitters like that, statistics prove they will hit you harder, and that’s what Ramon did,” Lasorda said. “And age had nothing to do with that. Even guys 30 years old do it. And if you do, it’s tough to win, plain as the nose on your face.”

Or in Martinez’s case, the egg.

Dodger Notes

In his Jim Gott’s first rehabilitation assignment, the reliever threw three innings, giving up two runs on four hits with one strikeout and two walks while pitching Friday for Class-A Bakersfield at San Bernardino. Gott hopes to be ready to join the active roster when the team returns from the current trip May 14.

Jeff Hamilton will be sidelined for at least six weeks after arthroscopic surgery Friday revealed torn cartilage in his shoulder. The Dodger third baseman will have to wait at least a month before swinging a bat or throwing a ball. The platoon of Lenny Harris and Mike Sharperson will continue to play third base. The news of Hamilton’s extended absence, not unexpected, gave Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda another chance to proclaim that this team will not let injuries beat it. “If the fate of this organization rests on one or two players, then we’re in trouble,” he said. “Like I’ve been telling the players, this cannot beat us . . . we can win with those players, and we can win without them.” Several Dodgers followed Lasorda’s enthusiastic lead Friday by taking extra, early batting practice even though much of the Veterans Stadium wet infield was covered with a tarp.

Orel Hershiser, who underwent shoulder surgery April 27, was discharged Friday from Centinela Hospital Medical Center for a second time after being readmitted Wednesday because of dehydration caused by a virus. . . . The Dodger bullpen received a potential boost Friday with a successful simulated game by Pat Perry. The left-handed reliever, recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, threw 48 pitches, eight more than scheduled because he felt so good. If he can pitch two more good simulated games on this trip, he could be ready for a minor league rehabilitation assignment when the team returns home May 14. If all goes well, he could join the active roster a week later. “I think he looked great for a first time out,” said Mark Cresse, bullpen coach. “He showed us a pitch, a curveball, that nobody has ever put into his game before. And it was a great curveball.” Perry, signed as a free agent this winter after going 0-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 19 games for the Chicago Cubs last season, said his rehabilitation has reached a high point. “Three weeks ago, I was beginning to wonder if I would ever be ready,” he said. “But today, I know I’m getting close.”

Despite the cold weather, Kirk Gibson ran in the outfield Friday, and hopes to begin taking batting practice by the end of this trip. If so, he could be ready to join the roster by the end of May. “It all depends on when I can run hard, and I still can’t run hard,” said Gibson, who had hoped to begin taking batting practice during the recent home stand. “I’m beyond being disappointed. I’m just working as hard as I can and hopefully something will happen soon.” Gibson has said that as soon as he begins taking batting practice, he will probably be able to play within three weeks.