Dodgers' Ramirez gets tossed in series opener at Citi Field
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 following his second called strikeout, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat what's left of the Mets, 8-0, last night.
Clayton Kershaw (6-5) combined with three relievers on a four-hitter, pinch-hitter Blake DeWitt hit a seventh-inning homer off the front of the second deck in leftfield and Los Angeles twice scored with bases-loaded walks.
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 4 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading Phillies.
But the focus last 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 spread his hands about a foot apart before - perhaps indicating his displeasure - his two-out, two-run single in the second. He added an RBI single in the fourth, then was called out in the fifth, dropped his bat and threw his helmet and protective gear. Ramirez, tossed while walking to the outfield, is batting .273 (3-for-11) with one homer and four RBI since his return.
In other games:
* At San Francisco, Barry Zito (5-8) pitched into the ninth inning, Juan Uribe hit a two-run homer and the Giants beat the Florida Marlins, 3-0.
* At Phoenix, Doug Davis got his first victory in a month and Arizona beat San Diego, 4-3.
* At Chicago, Javier Vazquez (6-7) allowed a run and five hits in seven strong innings and Brian McCann had two two-out RBI as the Atlanta Braves beat the Cubs, 2-1.
* At Houston, Jack Wilson hit a two-run homer and finished with three RBI, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Astros, 6-3.
* At Milwaukee, Adam Wainwright (9-5) came within two outs of his first career shutout and Ryan Ludwick and Colby Rasmus homered for the St. Louis Cardinals in a 5-0 win over the Brewers.
* At Denver, Clint Barmes capped an error-fueled eighth-inning rally with a sacrifice fly, lifting the Colorado Rockies to a 5-4 victory over Washington.
Noteworthy
* Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario returned to Los Angeles for tests on his painful right elbow.
* Chicago Cubs righthander Ryan Dempster was placed on the disabled list after fracturing his big right toe while climbing over the dugout railing to get on the field to celebrate a win over Milwaukee. *
