VENUE: Citi Field
By now, the Los Angeles Dodgers are used to Manny Ramirez being out of the lineup. Tuesday's brief absence, though, was under very different circumstances.
Expected to be back in the lineup Wednesday night after getting ejected in the series opener, Ramirez will try to lead the NL West-leading Dodgers to another victory over the slumping New York Mets as they continue their three-game set at Citi Field.
After the Dodgers went 29-21 as Ramirez served a suspension for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy, Los Angeles (53-30) was again without its eccentric slugger in Tuesday's 8-0 victory. Ramirez was ejected by plate umpire John Hirschbeck in the fifth inning for throwing his helmet, bat and elbow guard after a called third strike that ended the frame.
"I didn't want to throw even more fire. I just walked away," Ramirez said. "I only play five innings, so I was leaving anyway."
Ramirez, though, had a two-run single in the second inning and an RBI single in the fourth. He is batting .273 (3 for 11) with a homer and four RBIs since returning from his ban Friday.
In Ramirez's first game back, right-hander Hiroki Kuroda (3-4, 3.91 ERA) yielded three runs and four hits in a 6-3 win at San Diego. Despite the Dodgers staking him to a five-run first-inning lead, the right-hander matched his second-shortest outing of the season with 5 1-3 innings.
He will make his third career start against the Mets. Facing them twice in 2008, Kuroda was 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA. He didn't last past 3 1-3 innings in either outing as the Mets hit .441 against him.
New York (39-43), however, is playing some of its worst baseball of the season. The Mets, who have lost four in a row and nine of 11, have not scored in the last 22 innings. Tuesday's defeat marked the first time since May 24-25, 2005, in Atlanta, that New York had been shut out in consecutive games.
"When you don't hit or hit singles, you're a team that looks lethargic, and that's what we are right now," said Mets manager Jerry Manuel, whose club has scored three runs and is batting .183 during its four-game slide.
All-Star third baseman David Wright went 0 for 3 with a walk Tuesday. He is hitless in his last 16 at-bats.
While the injury-ravaged Mets are eagerly awaiting the return of Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and others from the disabled list, left-hander Oliver Perez (1-2, 9.97) makes his first start since May 2 after rehabbing patellar tendinitis in his right knee.
"Hopefully he can get to the 100-pitch mark with a chance to win the game. Hopefully he has command, and I'd like to see good stuff," Manuel told the Mets' official Web site. "I'd like to see the life on his pitches."
Perez, though, walked nine in 9 1-3 innings in two starts at Triple-A Buffalo. He is 5-5 with a 3.88 ERA in 11 starts against Los Angeles.
Dodgers All-Star second baseman Orlando Hudson snapped an 0-for-22 slide Tuesday with a first-inning single. He drew a bases-loaded walk in the second and had an RBI double in the fourth. Hudson is batting .412 (7 for 17) with four RBIs as Los Angeles has won all four games against New York this season.
Partly sunny. Mild.
