Dodgers Beat Astros, Start to Feel Less Lonely : Baseball: Butler, Martinez fuel 7-2 victory. If L.A. wins today, the teams will be tied for last.

The Dodgers were breathing easier late Tuesday after the start of a showdown for last place.

The Houston Astros, who had two errors and a wild pitch in one inning, are still the prohibitive favorites.

With Brett Butler extending his hitting streak to 18 games, the Dodgers defeated the Astros, 7-2, to move to within one game of the fifth-place team.

With a victory today, the Dodgers would have company at the bottom rung of the West Division for the first time since June 18. After today, the two teams will play six more times, including three season-ending games in Houston.

Avoiding the bottom spot might mean a bit more to the Dodgers, who have not finished there in 87 years.

The Astros haven’t finished a season in last place in about 10 months.

“We are trying to get out of last place, that’s what we are playing for right now,” Eric Karros said. “Pride.”

Added Dave Hansen: “It’s not been going good for us, but we definitely don’t want to finish last.”

Before 25,195 at Dodger Stadium, this eighth game in the Astros’ 26-game odyssey will rank right up there in their memories with lost luggage.

Shane Reynolds, one of their many struggling pitching prospects, looked no different than Ryan Bowen or Darryl Kile or Jeff Juden, giving up five runs (four earned) in five innings.

In the second inning, Steve Finley made only his third error of the season in center field and Eddie Taubensee made his second error behind the plate.

And their hitters were held to two singles in six innings by Ramon Martinez, who finally yielded two runs in the seventh inning but still won consecutive starts for the first time this season.

Martinez has pitched seven innings in each of his last three starts, with a 2-1 record and 2.57 earned-run average during that time.

His revival matches the resurgence of his teammates, who have won five of their last six games, including three consecutive victories for the first time since June 1.

“It seems like there is a new mood around here,” Hansen said. “I know I’ve been smiling a lot more lately than I have been.”

The Dodgers capitalized on the Astro problems with a five-run second inning before Karros hit his 16th home run during the fifth inning and a run-scoring single during the seventh.

One out after Todd Benzinger led off the second inning with a walk by Reynolds, Henry Rodriguez got his first major league extra-base hit with a double to right.

Hansen, who had only seven runs batted in during July, drove in Benzinger with a single up the middle. Rodriguez, who fell after rounding third base, jumped up and also scored when Finley mishandled the ball in center field.

After Martinez bunted Hansen to second, Jose Offerman drove him in with a double into the right-center field gap.

Butler then beat out a grounder to shortstop Casey Candaele, equaling a streak by Gary Sheffield of the San Diego Padres as the longest in the National League this year. Butler had a 23-game streak last season.

Butler played the game in a state of relief after daughter Katie, 7, jumped five feet from the dugout box seats before the game and landed on the field on her stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

“She turned blue for a minute, but she’s OK now,” Butler said. “But that it makes it tougher to get focused.”

With runners on first and third in the second inning, Butler took a big lead and ran toward second base. Reynolds threw his pitch into the dirt, allowing Offerman to score from third. After crossing second on what was ruled a steal, Butler took third on the wild pitch.

Taubensee then threw wildly to third base, allowing Butler to score. Gerald Young’s throw home from left field was also wild.

Three innings later, Karros hit his third home run in seven games.