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Martin lifts Dodgers past Rockies

Apr 26, 2008 - 8:34 AM By Jonathan Raber PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Russell Martin's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 13th inning plated Matt Kemp to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 8-7 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday.

Martin tied a career-high with four hits and reached base safely six times. After beginning the season mired in a slump, he has reached base safely in 18 of his last 25 at-bats, raising his average to .276.

"The game of baseball just seems to even out," Martin said. "I started the season pretty brutal, but now I'm just trying to do what I can to get on base and put some good at-bats together."

Jeff Kent and Kemp added two hits apiece with every starter - excluding the pitcher - recording at least one hit while five different players drove in at least one run for the Dodgers.

The teams combined to use 12 pitchers in the four-hour, 38-minute marathon, which ended when Martin took Taylor Buchholz's 1-1 offering deep to right field, plating Kemp from third.

"It was definitely the kind of game you want to win as a team because it can give you a boost, especially against a team in our division," said Martin of the hectic affair. "It feels heck of a lot better winning at 12 o'clock than losing."

Kemp reached on an error to open the 13th inning and advance to third when Gary Bennett followed with single, putting runners on the corners with no outs.

After reliever Chan Ho Park grounded out the third base, the Rockies opted to load the bases by intentionally walking James Loney, setting the stage for Martin's game-winning sacrifice fly.

Park (1-1) allowed two hits and two walks in the final three innings to earn the victory.

The ninth inning proved to be an eventful one for the Dodgers when Nomar Garciaparra left the game because of a strained left calf, forcing Russell Martin to move from catcher and make his debut at third base.

Backup catcher Gary Bennett took over behind the plate and was charged with a past ball on closer Takashi Saito's first pitch, allowing pinch-runner Willy Taveras to score from third, tying the score, 7-7.

After intentionally walking Todd Helton with one out and the go-ahead run at third, Saito got Matt Holliday to ground into an inning-ending double-play.

Los Angeles starter Hiroki Kuroda wasn't particularly sharp in taking a no-decision. The 33-year-old Japanese import allowed five runs and nine hits with two strikeouts and two walks in six innings.

"He battled," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "(But) again, he had trouble locating pitches."

The Dodgers chased Colorado starter Ubaldo Jimenez from the game with one out in the bottom half of third in a five-run frame. They sent 11 batters to the plate and connected on five hits, all singles.

"I wasn't able to execute my pitches," Jimenez said. "(The Dodgers) came hacking."