For Martinez, the Accolades Appear Far Off : Dodgers: Former all-star pitcher continues recent slump as Colorado moves back into first place in NL West with 10-1 victory, led by Galarraga’s grand slam.

Dodger right-hander Ramon Martinez seemed likely to make the all-star team for the third time since 1990 after winning six of his first nine starts this season.

But Martinez isn’t playing like an all-star now.

On a day when five of his teammates were named to the National League all-star team, Martinez was booed off the field after giving up 10 runs, eight earned, on five hits in a 10-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies Sunday before a paid crowd of 37,354 at Dodger Stadium.

Martinez who compiled an earned-run average of 10.80 in losing his last two starts, began the day by hitting leadoff hitter Eric Young and it went downhill from there as he gave up a third-inning grand slam to Andres Galarraga.

“He’s been struggling,” Piazza said of Martinez, who had already departed by the time reporters entered the Dodger clubhouse after the game. “Ramon has just got to get his control back and his confidence back. The last two outings have been pretty bad. Ramon is definitely a better pitcher than that. He knows that more than anybody.

“He has to improve and get us back. We’re going to need Ramon Martinez in order to win this thing.”

Was Piazza surprised that the fans booed Martinez, who has won more games than any other Dodger pitcher over the last two seasons?

“Obviously, the fans expressed what they wanted to express,” Piazza said. “If you don’t do the job, I guess they’re going to let you hear about it, and that goes for everybody.

“Right now he’s a little bit down, but he definitely has better days ahead. He can rebound from this because he has the talent.”

But Martinez’s talent hasn’t been apparent recently, as he has yielded 40 runs and 35 hits in his last four games. Martinez (7-6) has lost three of his last five starts with a no-decision and a win.

“Pitchers go into slumps just like hitters do,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said. “I worry when anybody’s in a slump. What we have to do is work hard to get him out of it. It’s our job to find out what it is and do something about it.”

Martinez’s most embarrassing moment in a dismal outing came when he dropped a pop-up by Vinny Castilla with two out in the fifth inning, allowing a run to score.

First baseman Eric Karros appeared to have a play on the ball, but Martinez failed to get out of the way and was charged with an error as Larry Walker scored.

Pitching Coach Dave Wallace emerged from the dugout to remove Martinez, who heard a chorus of boos as he walked off the field.

Colorado starter Bill Swift, who has a 5-0 career record against the Dodgers, gave up one run on four hits in eight innings as the Rockies moved ahead of the Dodgers and back into first place in the National League West.

“There are just certain teams you pitch well against,” Swift said of his perfect record against the Dodgers while pitching for San Francisco and Colorado. “The Dodgers have a lot of right-handed hitters. I had a good slider going and it was tough to hit.”

Swift’s sinker baffled the Dodgers as he registered 10 strikeouts to equal his career high. The Dodgers, who fell behind, 10-0, in the fifth inning, avoided being shut out for the eighth time this season when Billy Ashley drove in Mondesi, who had led off with a single.

Galarraga, who hit a two-run, game-tying homer in the eighth inning of the Rockies’ 5-4 loss to the Dodgers on Saturday night, drove in five runs Sunday.

Galarraga, who had three homers and seven RBIs last Sunday against the San Diego Padres, drilled a 1-1 changeup from Martinez into the right-field bleachers with the bases loaded and two out in the third inning for his sixth career grand slam and his 14th homer of the season. He has 46 RBIs.