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Youngsters Kemp, Martin too much for Braves

Jul 3, 2007 - 6:20 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers are doing their best to make sure youth is being served.

Matt Kemp homered and Russell Martin had four hits as the Dodgers posted an 8-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday.

With the game tied at 1-1, Kemp belted a two-run, 436-foot blast off John Smoltz (9-5) in the sixth to help the Dodgers take their first lead of the game at 3-1.

The only reason the 22-year-old had a chance to hit in the inning was due to an odd sequence in the at-bat prior to Kemp's, when James Loney struck out but reached as Smoltz's pitch got away from Atlanta catcher Brian McCann.

"(Smoltz) got behind in the count and challenged me," Kemp said. "I guess I won the challenge."

Since being recalled from the minors on June 8, Kemp is hitting .389 (21-for-54) with three homers, including home runs in consecutive games.

The 24-year-old Martin, one of the Dodgers' three All-Star selections, lived up to his billing, notching his first career four-hit game. The first-time All-Star roped a run-scoring double in the fifth for the first Los Angeles run that tied the game at 1-1, ending a stretch in which Los Angeles had went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position to start the game.

Two innings later, he sparked a five-run seventh that blew a 3-1 contest wide open as he plated Juan Pierre with a single, his fourth hit of the contest.

"He's an All-Star," Kemp said. "Shoot, that's what All-Stars do. He's a leader on our team and he proved why he's an All-Star tonight."

Joe Beimel (2-1) walked two over two frames to get the win in relief of starter Derek Lowe.

"(The pressure) is something you don't really think about when you're out there," Beimel said. "You just want to get the job done. It worked out tonight and hopefully it will continue."

Smoltz surrendered three runs and seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts over six frames. Kemp's homer happened on a 3-1 pitch, just the second time he had a three-ball count on a hitter all game long.

"Smoltz could have had a shutout tonight, actually," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "It's a shame. He made one bad pitch to Kemp."

Chipper Jones had three hits - the second time in five games he hit that mark - for the Braves, who have lost two straight following a five-game winning streak.