Russell Martin delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning and the Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the New York Mets with a 2-1 victory.
Shortstop Jose Reyes left the game against in the bottom of the third inning after aggravating a troublesome right calf that forced him to miss five games.
“I think it happened in that at-bat,” Manuel said. “I saw some grimacing during the AB. Then once he hit the ball and put it in play, he felt some pain and discomfort. It was obvious that he was struggling with it. How much damage there is, we don't know.”
Reyes returned to the lineup on Tuesday night, but in his second at-bat of the series finale, he had to run hard on a grounder in the hole that Dodgers second baseman Orlando Hudson played on the outfield grass before throwing him out.
The switch-hitting Reyes, who was diagnosed with tendinitis in his calf earlier this week, averaged 61 extra-base hits over the previous four seasons, including 65 triples, and has 11 extra-base hits through his first 36 games this year.
Extra-base hits were few and far between for New York in their series at Dodgers Stadium.
The Mets, who came into Chavez Ravine on Monday with a half-game lead over Philadelphia in the NL East, now trail the Phillies by a full game after their fourth straight loss. The road trip began with three straight wins against the Giants.
“We knew at the start of this trip that it would be a tough one and would be a big test for us,” third baseman David Wright said. “We started out good, but then we struggled. We played poorly and the Dodgers played great. But we can't feel sorry for ourselves.”
Orlando Hudson singled with one out in the eighth inning against J.J. Putz (1-3), who walked Andre Ethier before Martin lined the right-hander's 1-0 pitch to left field for his 16th RBI of the season. The hit helped the defending NL West champions improve their major league-best record to 29-13 and extend their division lead over San Francisco to 8{ games.
The Dodgers' 17-3 start at home tied a modern major league record for 20 games, last accomplished by the 1998 Yankees, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Joe Torre also managed that Yankees team.
The Mets, 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position and 3 for 27 overall in the series, squandered an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the eighth after putting runners at second and third with one out.
“That's kind of what we've been dealing with this whole series -- not getting the big hit,” manager Jerry Manuel said. “We had a good shot at it right there -- second and third, infield in, but we didn't get it done. In the position we're in now, with the pieces that we have now, it's going to be challenging to put a lot of runs on the board. So when we get opportunities, we really have to take advantage of them.”
Murphy, who had played in left field most of this season, started at first base for the first time in his big league career -- using Carlos Delgado's glove. Delgado is expected to be sidelined until at least late July after undergoing hip surgery on Tuesday.
