Mets’ Soler Perplexes the Dodgers

This was like driving past a sign that reads “Last chance for food and gas.” The Dodgers might be famished and sputtering a couple days from now.

They failed to beat a New York Mets pitcher who had never won and must face potential Hall of Famers today and Wednesday, fellows named Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine who have combined for 485 career victories and a 13-3 record this year.

Cuban defector Alay Soler entered with a 7.36 earned-run average in two major league starts and left with his first victory, beating the Dodgers, 4-1, Monday night at Dodger Stadium.

It was the first time in more than a month the Dodgers have lost two in a row, and if they remember this game for anything, it will be for what it was not.

There was no first save opportunity for closer Eric Gagne in his fifth game since being activated.

There were no heroics from the vaunted Dodgers rookies besides a home run by Willy Aybar that looked rather forlorn in the box score, and an encouraging relief effort by left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo.

And there was no late-inning lightning from Nomar Garciaparra and other Dodgers who so often lately have ramped up the offense as games progress.

Instead, the Soler-powered Mets breezed after scoring three runs in the first on home runs by Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado against Brett Tomko (5-4). The Dodgers hit several balls hard, but most found Mets mitts.

Soler, 26, is a converted third baseman from Pinar del Rio, the same Cuban region of rolling tobacco fields where Dodgers reliever Danys Baez grew up. The Mets signed Soler in 2004 and he pitched in the Puerto Rican league in 2005 waiting for a visa.

He wasn’t much of a mystery to the first two major league teams he faced, giving up nine earned runs in 11 innings. But the Dodgers couldn’t figure him out in seven innings.

“He had a good changeup, a sinker and a cutter,” shortstop Rafael Furcal said. “He got a quick lead, changed speeds and threw strikes, that’s all.”

Tomko’s early troubles continued a trend -- the first 15 pitches he throws are being hit at a .382 clip.

It also was his fourth shaky start in a row. Tomko’s earned-run average was 2.88 after he beat Colorado on May 15. He’s allowed 21 runs -- 19 earned -- in 19 innings since, and his ERA has jumped to 4.57.

“After the last two games I was trying to get into a groove,” he said. “But besides the 2-0 fastball to Delgado, I made the pitches I wanted to make.”

Tomko held the Mets scoreless from the second through the fifth before encountering more problems. The first three batters in the sixth singled to produce a run, and after Soler advanced the runners with a bunt, Kuo was summoned.

The left-hander is back with the Dodgers after working to overcome control problems at triple A. He retired Reyes and Paul Lo Duca to end the sixth, then sailed through the seventh.

Mets reliever Chad Bradford retired pinch-hitter Olmedo Saenz with two on and two out in the eighth and had no trouble in the ninth. The Mets didn’t need their set-up reliever, former Dodger Duaner Sanchez, or closer Billy Wagner.

Today brings Martinez and his 202 victories. It’s a headache for the opposing team anytime he pitches, but for Dodgers Manager Grady Little the pain might be heightened. He is sure to be besieged by questions about his ill-fated decision to leave Martinez in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS with the Boston Red Sox.

As for the game itself, Little is looking forward to it, saying, “Anyone who considers himself a baseball fan and doesn’t like to watch Pedro pitch is out of their mind.”