BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Martinez Satisfied With Solid Effort

Dodger pitcher Ramon Martinez said he never seriously thought he could duplicate Johnny Vander Meer’s singular feat of throwing consecutive no-hitters, and, all in all, was pleased with his performance Wednesday against the Houston Astros.

“They talked about throwing back-to-back no-hitters,” Martinez said, “but you can’t do it. Maybe somebody can do it. One guy. But I don’t know how long it’s going to take [for it to happen again].

“It was a pretty good game. I am very pleased. We got the win.”

Martinez, who did not figure in the decision, pitched seven innings, giving up nine hits (four in the first inning) and five runs, none earned, striking out five and walking one. He threw 136 pitches, 86 for strikes.

“I didn’t have the same stuff I had that night,” Martinez said. “When I was throwing the no-hitter, I had very good location. Today, I was trying to hit spots, but I was up a little bit.”

In his no-hitter against the decidedly-less fearsome lineup of the Florida Marlins last Friday, Martinez threw almost all fastballs. Against the Astros, loaded with hot hitters such as Derek Bell and Jeff Bagwell, Martinez said he had to throw many more breaking balls.

“Those guys, they can hit fastballs,” Martinez said.

Catcher Mike Piazza said he was impressed that, after giving up three unearned runs in the first, Martinez stayed relatively steady.

“He made some mistakes, no question about it,” Piazza said. “But he kept us in the ballgame. He didn’t let it get out of hand like maybe he did in some of the starts previous to the no-hitter.”

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Shortstop Jose Offerman, nursing a sore right thumb he said he first hurt during an at-bat a couple of weeks ago, was scratched from the lineup about half an hour before the game. Offerman said the injury bothers him most when he’s batting right-handed.

Offerman, who had started 72 of the team’s first 76 games and was replaced by Chad Fonville Wednesday, said he should be back in the lineup tonight against the Florida Marlins.

“Offerman needed a day off,” Manager Tom Lasorda said. “He’s been playing every day.”

Todd Worrell, making his first save appearance in 14 games, pitched the ninth and got his 13th save in 14 opportunities.