Martinez Steps Up to Stop Streak

Ramon Martinez watched in disappointment as the Atlanta Braves swept the Dodgers in their previous series, and he knew what needed to be done.

Typically, he didn’t disappoint.

The staff ace overcame a shaky start Thursday night in leading his team to a 4-3 comeback victory over the struggling Florida Marlins, which ended the Dodgers’ three-game losing streak.

He pitched eight strong innings--shutting out the Marlins after their three-run first--and closer Scott Radinsky worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his team-leading sixth save before an announced crowd of 14,639 at Pro Player Stadium.

Raul Mondesi’s two-out, two-run, bases-loaded single in the seventh was the decisive hit for the Dodgers, who moved a game above .500 (17-16). But it was Martinez who filled a familiar role--helping a team in need.

“How we played in Atlanta . . . that was something I had on my mind all the time,” he said.

“I knew my team needed me to pitch well. I told myself to go out tonight and get that first win, and then we can see what happens.”

Martinez (4-2) gave up six hits and three runs in the opener of the four-game series.

He walked three and struck out seven while throwing 117 pitches, 72 of which were strikes.

And his performance was especially significant because of the Dodgers’ Atlanta experience.

“Atlanta is the team to beat, and they showed that against us,” Manager Bill Russell said. “That series showed us that we have our work cut out for us, and we needed to get started in the right direction tonight.”

Fortunately for the Dodgers, they had the right guy on the mound. And he was facing the right team.

Martinez is 7-1 with a 2.36 earned-run average in eight starts against the Marlins. He pitched a 7-0 no-hitter against Florida on July 14, 1995, and has won six consecutive decisions.

But he struggled Thursday in the first.

With one out, Martinez gave up four consecutive hits. Gary Sheffield hit a two-run double and the Marlins’ third run scored on a ground out.

But that was it. Martinez gave up two hits and struck out seven over the next seven innings.

“In the first inning, I was trying to get good location on my fastball and see what [pitches] I had working,” said Martinez, whose pitches were clocked at 95 mph in the eighth.

“But after the first inning, I threw more pitches and I mixed my pitches.

“After the first inning, then I started to work.”

Marlin Manager Jim Leyland noticed.

“He went more to his complete repertoire after the first inning,” said Leyland, whose last-place NL East team has lost four in a row.

“He is one of the best pitchers in the league, and he has been for a long time in my opinion.”

His Dodger counterpart won’t argue.

“He’s been our big guy, he’s been the guy to stop losing streaks for us,” Russell said of Martinez, who also ended the Dodgers’ season-opening four-game losing streak.

“He’s been in this role for a long time, because he comes through. And Mondy came through with a big two-out hit to get us going.”

The Dodgers were scoreless in the first four innings against journeyman left-hander Chris Hammond, who was making his first start after being promoted from triple-A Charlotte, N.C.

Hammond gave up only two runs--one earned--and six hits in six innings.

Trenidad Hubbard hit a leadoff home run--his third homer--in the Dodgers’ two-run fifth, and Mondesi’s decisive hit in the seventh came against reliever Rob Stanifer (0-2). Mondesi is batting .206 (seven for 34) with runners in scoring position.

“We’ve got some guys who have been upset with the way we’ve been playing, and we’re trying to step up,” said Hubbard, who started in left field.

“We lit a little match, and we’re going to find out if it starts a big fire.”