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Ramirez ejects himself, dejects Mets

Jul 8, 2009 - 3:29 AM By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK(AP) -- Fans at Citi Field booed the free-falling New York Mets even more loudly than they jeered Manny Ramirez - before he got ejected.

Ramirez drove in three runs with two singles, then was ejected for throwing equipment following his second called strikeout. That was the highlight as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat what's left of the Mets 8-0 Tuesday night.

"It's OK, I was coming out in the fifth inning," Ramirez said playfully.

With the Dodgers winning a laugher, manager Joe Torre could smile at that one.

"He told me that, too. I wasn't aware of that before that," Torre said. "It was about time to ask him, but I didn't need to."

Clayton Kershaw (6-5) combined with three relievers on a four-hitter, pinch-hitter Blake DeWitt hit a seventh-inning homer off Tim Redding that hit off the front of the second deck in left field and Los Angeles twice scored with bases-loaded walks.

New York has lost nine of 11 and gone scoreless in 22 consecutive innings, getting just 10 hits - all singles. Mets pitchers walked seven against the Dodgers, and New York batters twice grounded into double plays.

"When you don't hit or hit singles, you're a team that looks lethargic, and that's what we are right now," New York manager Jerry Manuel said.

While losing four straight, which includes a weekend sweep in Philadelphia, the Mets have hit .183, been outscored 21-3 and struck out 28 times. David Wright went 0 for 3 with a walk and is hitless in his last 16 at-bats as the Mets have dropped into fourth place, 4 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading Phillies.

But the focus Tuesday night was on Ramirez.

In his fourth game back following a 50-game drug suspension, he argued with plate umpire John Hirschbeck after he was called out in the first, then hit a broken-bat, two-run single with two outs in the second. He added an opposite-field RBI single to right in the fourth, and was called out with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth. He dropped his bat and threw his helmet and protective gear.

"I didn't have a problem with the bat and the helmet," Hirschbeck said. "The elbow pad, tossing it in the air, that's a bit far."

Ramirez said the first called strikeout was legit but thought the ball was outside on the second. He didn't argue the ejection.

"I didn't want to throw even more fire. I just walked away," he said.

He is batting .273 (3 for 11) with one homer and four RBIs since his return. A few fans behind the plate held up signs with syringes.

"The booing and stuff from the fans, that's something he's used to, but, you know, all the attention he's gotten since he's come back," Torre said, "I don't think he's comfortable with that, and I think it sort of carries over."

While Ramirez received mild boos, fans saved louder ones for the Mets.

There's no end in sight to the tailspin, which has dropped the Mets to 39-43. Before the game, general manager Omar Minaya said center fielder Carlos Beltran and shortstop Jose Reyes won't be able to return from leg injuries next week after the All-Star break, and first baseman Carlos Delgado likely won't be back from hip surgery until mid-August.

By the time the Mets have all of their top sluggers on the field, it might be too late for New York to salvage its first season at Citi Field.

New York's offense has largely disappeared since Beltran last played on June 21. The Mets have gone 5-10 with a .229 average and scored one run or fewer seven times, including four shutouts.

Mike Pelfrey (6-4) fell to 2-4 in his last 11 starts, allowing five runs - four earned - eight hits and three walks in three-plus innings. He walked Orlando Hudson with the bases loaded in the second after getting ahead in the count 1-2, then allowed a broken-bat single to Ramirez.

"It's 100 percent my fault tonight," Pelfrey said.

Kershaw allowed three hits in six innings and struck out seven before James McDonald, Claudio Vargas and Guillermo Mota finished for Los Angeles, a major league-best 53-30.

The Mets and Dodgers couldn't look more different.

"You can't come thinking you're going to lose today," New York's Gary Sheffield said. "One good outing, one swing of the bat can turn things around."

It's hard to envision that happening soon.

NOTES: Mets OF Fernando Martinez took anti-inflammatories for his sore right knee. ... New York optioned INF Argenis Reyes to Triple-A Buffalo to clear a roster spot for LHP Oliver Perez, who will be activated Wednesday to start against Los Angeles. ... Dodgers rookie reliever Ronald Belisario, who leads the team with 43 appearances, is going back to Los Angeles for tests on his painful right elbow.