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Gonzalez, Martin spark Dodgers in win over Mets

Jun 12, 2007 - 6:33 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers have had some recent struggles mounting offense. When that happens, it helps to be able to turn to a couple of standouts.

Russell Martin had an RBI single and Luis Gonzalez scored twice as the Dodgers posted a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets on Monday.

Martin recorded his first RBI in six games and Gonzalez hit two doubles for the second straight games for Los Angeles, which had been held to two runs or less in three of their last seven contests.

"I was just trying to slow things down and put the ball in play, I've been working with (hitting coach) Eddie (Murray) and its really helped me a lot," Gonzalez said.

With the Dodgers trailing, 3-0, going into the bottom of the fourth, Juan Pierre led off the frame with a walk and stole second off Mets starter Orlando Hernandez (3-2), allowing Martin to score Pierre when he grounded a single past a diving David Wright at third base for the Dodgers' first run.

Two batters later, Gonzalez floated a double past right fielder Shawn Green to push across Martin, and he scored one batter later when Andre Ethier blooped a single into shallow center to tie the game at 3-3.

"This game is built around failure. When you produce you hope it comes at the right time," Gonzalez said.

Los Angeles grabbed its first lead of the game in the sixth as rookie James Loney, who was just called up from the minors on Sunday, hit an RBI double to deep left-center just out of the reach of Carlos Beltran to score Gonzalez again. The New York center fielder was charged with his first error in 145 games as he struggled to get a grasp on the ball along the outfield wall, allowing Loney to take third.

"Walking guys came back to bite us, but (Hernandez) threw some good pitches but they came up clutch," Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca said.

Loney was forced at home in the next at-bat when rookie Tony Abreu executed a squeeze bunt on a pitch well out of the strike zone.

However, Abreu was able to advance two bases when Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca threw wide of first, permitting Abreu to take third. Pinch hitter Wilson Betemit followed with a soft single into center, plating Abreu for the final Los Angeles run at 5-3.

"I thought I had more time, it was just a bad throw," Lo Duca said.

After five straight outings of allowing two or fewer runs, Hernandez surrendered five runs - four earned - and seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Wolf (8-4) matched Philadelphia's Cole Hamels for the National League lead in wins and his three strikeouts moved him into fourth place in the NL. He allowed three runs and nine hits, not walking a batter for the first time in a month and for only the second time all season.

"I was overthrowing a bit in the first couple of innings but I pitched to my strength by throwing strikes, I tried battling as much as possible," Wolf said.

This marked the 12th consecutive outing against the Mets that Wolf held New York to three runs or less, moving him into sole possession of second place of the longest such streak against the team.

Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton each pitched a perfect inning apiece before handing it over to closer Takashi Saito, who notched his 17th save in 18 chances.

"I just went out there and threw strikes," Broxton said. "We've done great, we hit a little bump in the road but tonight's a great start to get things going."

Green had two hits for New York, which has lost seven of its last eight games.