Martin, Kemp lead Dodgers to 7-2 win over Padres
SAN DIEGO -- And then there are the nights when Russell Martin has to put the Dodgers on his shoulders and carry them.
Mind the kid on the mound. Deliver the runs. Keep Trevor Hoffman out of the game.
Martin did it all on Tuesday, lifting the Dodgers to a 7-2 victory over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. He had three hits and drove in three runs, including a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning that put the Dodgers ahead for good.
The kid and the professor were gone by the time Martin settled the game, and so were most of the arms in the San Diego bullpen. Greg Maddux, the Padres' Hall of Famer in waiting, still is sitting on 350 victories. Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers' phenom, still is sitting on zero.
The Dodgers had 13 hits -- two doubles and 11 singles -- and drew six walks. James Loney, the Dodgers' first baseman, reached base in all five plate appearances, on two singles and three walks.
The Padres handed a 2-1 lead to their bullpen in the seventh inning. Padres Manager Bud Black used four relievers in the inning -- including three relievers for three consecutive batters -- only to watch Martin foil the strategy.
Bryan Corey, the first San Diego reliever, pitched to two batters and got one out. Justin Hampson, the next reliever, pitched to two batters and got neither out.
That loaded the bases for the Dodgers -- and for yet another San Diego reliever, Cla Meredith.
Meredith is a ground-ball pitcher, and Jeff Kent obliged. On the first pitch, Kent grounded to third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, who threw home for the force.
Meredith could hardly have been more effective -- one pitch, one out -- and yet Black summoned Heath Bell to face Martin.
Bell is the Padres' top setup man, and if Black could get four outs from Bell, the Padres would have their closer, Hoffman, ready for the ninth.
Martin took three pitches -- a strike, a ball, then another strike -- then lined a single into right field. The Dodgers led, 3-2, thanks to that two-run, two-out, two-strike single.
Martin did not stop at first base. He took second on the throw, and from there he scored the second of two runs on an infield single by Matt Kemp. He just hit third and kept going, sliding home safely and then popping up to mimic the safe call, then jumping in the air and pumping his fist.
His dash gave the Dodgers a 5-2 lead, and they scored twice more in the ninth inning, as the Padres used their fifth and sixth relievers. They used them all, in fact, except for Hoffman.
Scott Proctor recorded the victory despite a first-pitch wild pitch that gave the Padres a run.
Kershaw will win, someday. This was not the day, and the kid now is winless in 13 starts this season, including nine at double-A Jacksonville.
His fourth major league start was decent. He gave up one run in 5 1/3 innings, and six hits, with four walks and five strikeouts. In 20 innings with the Dodgers, he has walked 13 and struck out 19.
In addition to his starring role, Martin also had a comedic moment. In the fourth inning, after Maddux struck out for the final out, he appeared to exchange a few light words with the Dodgers' catcher. So, rather than roll the ball back to the mound, Martin simply handed it to Maddux with a smile.
bill.shaikin@latimes.com
