Oh, Brother, Do They Need Hits : Dodgers: Two Martinezes can’t overcome lack of offense in 3-0 loss.

They have played baseball together in sandlots in the Dominican Republic, run together through the fields of Dodgertown and cheered for each other from the Dodgers’ dugout. Then, Sunday afternoon, brothers Ramon and Pedro Martinez did something they had never thought about--they pitched in the same major league game. Unfortunately for them, it was a 3-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

“We have thought about playing together in the big leagues, but I never thought Pedro would relieve me,” Ramon said.

Ramon, 24, was replaced by Pedro, 21, after giving up only two hits in six innings. He was trailing, 1-0, because one of those hits was a first-inning home run by Ron Gant. With the Dodgers’ offense still silent, that was enough for Ramon Martinez to get the loss. The Braves added two runs in the eighth and made it three of four in the series.

Atlanta starter John Smoltz (1-1) limited the Dodgers to four hits but gave up five walks and hit Brett Butler to give the Dodgers several scoring opportunities.

The Dodgers had runners in scoring position in three innings, including the third, when the bases were loaded with one out. But Darryl Strawberry popped up and Tim Wallach flied out to end the inning. In the eighth, with Eric Davis on third and one out, Eric Karros struck out and Mike Piazza flied out.

“Very seldom does it happen that the whole lineup is not hitting at the same time, but right now none of us are,” Davis said. “We just aren’t getting that big hit and we couldn’t ask for better situations than we have had in this series. We had the right people up at the right time.

The Dodgers left 10 runners on base, but the majority reaching base on walks.

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said he might make some changes in the batting order for the Dodgers’ home opener Tuesday.

“You have to feel your way out of this,” Lasorda said. “If a player needs a day off or something, fine, but I am not going to start taking starters out of the lineup after seven games. I’m not going to single out one player for this.

“The (Braves) weren’t exactly knocking the cover off our ball. We could have won at least three of the four games. . . . We had the opportunities, we just didn’t capitalize on them. I can’t answer why, I don’t know why.”

The parents of the Martinezes were not among the crowd of 48,406 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, but Pedro was sure they were home in the Dominican watching on television.

“They have a satellite dish,” Pedro said.

Ramon Martinez, who struggled last season and through the spring, threw the ball with more velocity than he did all last season. He was continually pitching in jams, but he was able to get the out when he needed it. In the sixth inning, he walked the bases loaded, but he also struck out the side, ending the inning on a 3-and-2 changeup to Sid Bream.

Gant, who was unhappy when he was replaced by Deion Sanders as the left-field starter Saturday night, was back in the lineup Sunday. Gant has hit Martinez better than any of the Braves, with a .364 batting average and two home runs going into the game. Apparently, his batting success also applies to Pedro.

In the first inning, Gant turned on a high fastball and hit a home run into the left-field seats. Pedro walked the first batter he faced in the seventh, Greg Olson, then got Mark Lemke to ground into a double play and struck out Smoltz.

“I think he was excited with the first batter,” Ramon said.

Pedro said, “I feel so strong, that might be the reason I walked him.”

With one out in the eighth inning, Martinez walked Jeff Blauser and worked Gant to a 2-and-2 count before Gant doubled to put Blauser on third. Martinez struck out Pendleton, then, with left-handed batters Dave Justice and Bream coming up, the strategy of the managers began.

Martinez was replaced by left-handed reliever Steve Wilson, who walked Justice intentionally. Brave Manager Bobby Cox countered by sending up right-handed Francisco Cabrera to hit for Bream. Lasorda replaced Wilson with right-hander Rick Trlicek. So Cox went to left-handed hitting Sanders, who hit Trlicek’s first pitch past a diving Jody Reed to score Blauser and Gant and give the Braves some insurance.

Mike Stanton pitched a hitless ninth for his third save.

“I have always thought about playing in the major leagues with Ramon, but never about relieving him,” Pedro said. “I have always been a starter. But my chance came and I just wanted to keep it close for the team to tie the game or do something.”