Dodgers Play Costello to Phillies’ Abbott, 14-3

Throughout Kyle Abbott’s nightmare season of 11 losses with no victories in his first 13 starts, only one thought could have offered him comfort.

He had yet to face the Dodgers.

That day finally came Saturday, and it was everything he dreamed it would be.

Graciously preventing Abbott from equaling a dubious National League record, the Dodgers rolled over for him and the Philadelphia Phillies, losing, 14-3, before 33,892 at Veterans Stadium.

“This is not embarrassing,” Eric Davis said. “This is disgraceful.”

The Dodgers made sure Abbott didn’t even sweat. They fell behind, 8-0, after four innings in Ramon Martinez’s worst start of a poor season.

They came back with three runs in the sixth inning on two home runs, but Tim Crews gave up six more runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

The Dodgers had not given up this many runs in more than three years, since July 6, 1989, against St. Louis.

The Phillies, with the worst record in the National League, have outscored the Dodgers, 23-3, in the last 14 innings. The only four games the Phillies have won this month have been against the Dodgers.

“Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does,” Brett Butler said.

Abbott began the night feeling like that, with a 5.15 earned-run average and without a victory since he pitched for the Angels last Sept. 21. He was one loss short of tying a league record for most losses to start a season, shared by Bob Miller of the New York Mets in 1962 and two Phillies, Russ Miller in 1928 and Ken Reynolds in 1972.

He ended the night being ceremoniously doused in ice water.

“It seems like it’s been a long time,” said Abbott, who gave up three runs in 5 2/3 innings. “After a while, I was waiting for a call from Matt Keough. I’m just glad I didn’t get it.”

Keough shares the major league record for the most consecutive losses at the start of a season, 14 with the Oakland Athletics in 1979.

Abbott, from Cal State Long Beach, was also happy that father Larry could watch the game on television from their home in Laguna Beach.

Larry missed Abbott’s other major league victory because it was in Chicago. He would not have seen Abbott pitch this weekend if the Phillies had not juggled the rotation so he would throw Saturday.

“My dad is leaving for army reserve duty Sunday morning, so this was his one chance,” Abbott said. “That’s what I’m happiest about.”

Not that Kyle looked like the Abbott who remained with the Angels. In fact, the only thing overpowering Saturday was the Dodgers’ remorse.

“You can’t take anything away from him, but he is not a guy who should beat us,” said Davis, who went hitless again and has one hit in his last 21 at-bats.

“The guy is 0-11 for a reason,” said Davis, batting .222. “I know for a fact that I got myself out.”

Said Abbott: “I did my best, and he (Davis) did his best. There is no reason for him to get personal.”

The only thing everybody agreed upon was that Martinez (5-7) looked every bit like an 0-11 pitcher.

In 2 1/3 innings, Martinez gave up six runs with as many walks, four, as hits. He had as many wild pitches, one, as strikeouts.

He began the second inning by walking John Kruk and Darren Daulton, both of whom scored when he gave up three singles to the next five hitters.

He began the third inning by walking Dave Hollins and Kruk, and both of them eventually scored. But only after Martinez had been relieved by Steve Wilson, whose first two hitters drove in runs with a triple (Mickey Morandini) and a single (Joe Millette).

For a second consecutive night, the hitting star was Hollins, who later homered as one of his three hits. In two nights, the third baseman is six for eight with two homers and five runs batted in.

For the umpteenth night, the Dodgers wondered about Martinez, who threw eight shutout innings against the St. Louis Cardinals in his last start but has yet to put together consecutive good starts.

“Just when it looks like he gets himself into a groove, he is all over the place again,” Manager Tom Lasorda said. “His arm doesn’t hurt him, so it must be his mechanics. I just don’t know.”