Illness No Problem for Martinez

Ramon Martinez prepared for his start against the Montreal Expos on Sunday by visiting Centinela Hospital Medical Center on Saturday night for treatment of fever and stomach flu.

“We had to wait until he got here this morning to be sure if he could start,” Manager Bill Russell said. “That can really zap you, but he’s a gamer and the leader of the staff. He wanted the ball.”

Martinez (5-2) went six innings in the Dodgers’ 6-3 victory, giving up three runs, two earned. He fanned four, walked four and gave up four hits.

In the process, he discovered an elixir in the form of catcher Charles Johnson.

“I wasn’t throwing well and I was struggling,” Martinez said, “but when you have a catcher like him it really helps. I could just concentrate on pitching and didn’t have to worry about baserunners. He’s a great catcher and we worked well together in our first game.”

Only 22 runners attempted to steal on the three-time Gold Glove winning Johnson in his first 31 games with the Florida Marlins this year.

Rondell White tried it twice Sunday. He stole second in the second inning, but only because Eric Young couldn’t control Johnson’s throw.

White ran again in the third, but Johnson’s throw was there so far ahead of him that he didn’t even attempt to slide.

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Prior to the trade with the Florida Marlins, the Dodger lineup had been a revolving door, but Russell said he intends to stay with his lineup of Saturday and Sunday. “You’ll see these eight guys until somebody needs a day off,” he said.

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Montreal Manager Felipe Alou on the look of the Dodgers’ new lineup: “I thought they looked pretty good when they had Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile.” . . . On his move to center field so that Gary Sheffield can play right, Raul Mondesi said: “I feel good in center. Whatever is better for the team I’ll do it. It doesn’t make a big difference. So you stand in a different spot. You still catch the ball.”. . . Jim Eisenreich made his Dodger debut as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and struck out. . . . Trenidad Hubbard, who went on the 15-day disabled list Saturday, will have an MRI exam on his ailing left knee today.