Piazza Not Finished Slamming Opponents

Mike Piazza won’t hit a grand slam in every game, and Ramon Martinez won’t be outstanding in every start.

But two for two isn’t bad.

The all-star catcher hit his second grand slam in as many days, and the staff ace had his second consecutive strong outing Friday night in the Dodgers’ 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros before 34,994 at Dodger Stadium.

Piazza hit his seventh career grand slam in the eighth inning, and Martinez (2-1) struck out 10 in eight innings as the Dodgers won for the fourth time in five games.

“I was fortunate enough to come up with the bases loaded twice in two nights,” said Piazza, who also had two singles in four at-bats.

“I just tried to relax up there and get a good swing. I guess I got a little lucky twice.”

Piazza has been booed during the home stand, presumably because fans are angry about the money he is seeking in a multiyear contract extension. He quieted the boos Thursday with his 17th multi-homer game in the Dodgers’ 7-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

And he got to make a curtain call for the second consecutive game after he hit Mike Magnante’s 3-and-0 pitch approximately 443 feet into the right-field pavilion.

“Piazza did his Piazza thing,” Astro second baseman Craig Biggio said. “The guy has just got unbelievable power, and Martinez really helped himself out there tonight.”

Martinez set the tone. He gave up two runs--one earned. He also had two hits in three at-bats, and scored the tying run after doubling to right-center in the sixth.

“I felt really good again tonight,” he said. “I had good command of my pitches, and I felt strong. It wasn’t as good as my last [start], but I think it was pretty good.”

The Dodgers needed their ace to pitch well in his start against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday--and he exceeded their expectations in a 1-0 victory at Cinergy Field.

It would have been difficult to duplicate that outing, but Martinez was near his previous form.

He retired the side in order in the first, third and fifth with five strikeouts, and faced only one batter above the minimum to that point. He also got some help from his defense.

Moises Alou opened the fifth with a high fly to deep left. Todd Hollandsworth positioned himself at the wall and made a leaping catch to preserve the Dodgers’ 1-0 lead.

Hollandsworth received a standing ovation after the catch and when he returned to the dugout at the end of the inning. Hollandsworth also went three for five, and gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead in the sixth with an RBI triple.

Martinez ran into trouble in the sixth.

With one out, Shane Reynolds singled off of Eric Young’s glove, and Craig Biggio’s line drive into the left-field corner bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double, and Reynolds stopped at third.

Derek Bell lined out to Raul Mondesi in right field, and Mondesi threw home. But his one-hop throw bounced over Piazza’s glove, allowing Reynolds and Biggio to score.

The two-time Gold Glove winner had his first error, and the Astros had a 2-1 lead. With two out, Jeff Bagwell and Billy Spiers walked, and Alou came to the plate. Martinez was in danger of being removed from the game.

“Ramon was throwing real well, he just made a couple of bad pitches,” Piazza said. “But he hung in there.”

Martinez doesn’t rattle easily. Alou flied out to center to end the inning, and then Martinez took command.

He struck out the side in the seventh, and four in a row into the eighth. Manager Bill Russell and pitching coach Glenn Gregson came to the mound for a conference after he gave up a two-out walk to Bell, but Martinez convinced them he could finish the inning. On a full count, he struck out Bagwell to end his work. Recently acquired reliever Brad Clontz pitched a scoreless ninth.

“I feel very good about the team we have this year,” Martinez said. “When we play like this, we can do a lot.”