Streak Ends on Capital Offense

So this is what it means to lose your mojo.

Catcher Russell Martin wasn’t in the lineup, and the Dodgers were trounced by the Washington Nationals, 10-4, Friday night at RFK Stadium, ending their winning streak at seven.

The Dodgers are 15-2 with Martin behind the plate. He sits, and they slip.

The rookie has become the rabbit’s foot in their pocket, the four-leaf clover in their lapel.

This was only the second game he has taken off since being promoted from triple A on May 5. The Dodgers lost the first one at San Francisco, 6-5. They were never close this time, trailing 6-0 after five innings.

Nobody appreciates Martin’s contribution more than Manager Grady Little. He smiled when asked whether the catcher’s absence was the difference.

“There is a lot of coincidence there,” Little said. “If that tendency carried over for a year or two, it would mean something.”

Of course, Martin didn’t throw the pitches the Nationals whacked all over the ballpark for a run in the first inning, two in the third, one in the fourth, two in the fifth, two in the seventh and two in the eighth. Brett Tomko, Lance Carter and Tim Hamulack did.

It would have taken a lot more than Martin’s at-bats to piece together enough runs to win against Nationals veteran right-hander Livan Hernandez and four relievers. And reserve catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. played well -- especially considering he had caught only once in the previous 18 games -- driving in a run with a single.

For the record, Little was never tempted to replace Alomar with Martin in the middle of one of the Nationals’ rallies. He saw how such a move shook up Frank Robinson a day earlier, when the Nationals manager lifted catcher Matthew LeCroy during the seventh inning of a game against the Houston Astros, then conducted the postgame interview with tears streaming down his face.

Robinson was the happiest man in the stadium watching his team collect 16 hits against the Dodgers for their fourth victory in a row. Alfonso Soriano homered and doubled twice, Ryan Zimmerman hit two doubles and Royce Clayton hit three singles.

Tomko (5-2) hadn’t lost since April 17. He lasted only 4 2/3 innings, his shortest start this season, and gave up six runs and nine hits.

“I got in too many 2-2 and 3-2 counts,” he said. “I got behind pretty much everybody.”

Tomko has two wins and a no-decision with Martin catching. Truth be told, the veteran Alomar probably calls a better game than the rookie at this point. Yet the 2.60 earned-run average Dodgers pitchers have posted with Martin can’t be ignored.

Alomar sat on a couch in the clubhouse before the game, watching “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” and jokingly wondered whether Martin would have as much fun as Matthew Broderick.

The Dodgers had an off day Thursday, so Martin had two days off. He will be back in the lineup today, presumably refreshed, ready to catch three day games in a row.

“Two days off in a row is huge,” he said. “It will help in the long run. I don’t wake up in the morning feeling sore. I’ve felt fine. But fatigue just accumulates.”

Said Little: “It’s a nice little break. He isn’t just a catcher who plays good baseball, he plays good hard baseball. Whether it’s putting on the catcher’s gear, going to the on-deck circle or running onto the field, he does everything hard.”

The Dodgers had nine hits, but none from Nomar Garciaparra, whose seven-game hitting streak that coincided with the team’s winning streak ended. Dodgers pitchers had given up one earned run in 41 innings, but all 10 by the Nationals were earned.

“You’ve got to shake it off,” Tomko said. “You wake up tomorrow and get back to work.”

Martin will do the same, and the Dodgers’ luck may turn.