New York (Reuters) - Orlando Hudson hit a three-run double in the first inning to set the tone early for the Major League-leading Los Angeles Dodgers in their 11-2 thrashing of the New York Mets on Thursday. The Dodgers (54-31) scored four times in the first inning, while Rafael Furcal recorded three hits and three RBIs, and Matt Kemp contributed three of the team's 17 hits. New York's Livan Hernandez lasted only four innings and gave up eight runs. Dodgers' lefty Randy Wolf (4-3) earned the win, striking out three batters in six-thirds innings. It was Wolf's first victory in eight starts, as he had 12 no-decisions this season and changed his uniform number from 21 to 43 in an attempt to change his luck. He wore 43 during a successful stint with the Philadelphia Phillies.
"I felt like I threw the ball well enough," Wolf told reporters, "but obviously, I don't have much to show for it. There isn't a baseball player who isn't superstitious. I'm glad I changed the numbers. We put up 11 runs. I'll take it."
The Mets managed two runs against Wolf, including an RBI single in the first inning by Gary Sheffield, who finished 2-for-4. However, New York (40-44) lost for the tenth time in 13 games and struggled offensively without the injured Carlos Beltran (knee), Carlos Delgado (hip), and Jose Reyes (hamstring). Delgado and Reyes have been out since May, while Beltran has been sidelined since June 22, sending New York into an all-star slump. Mets' second baseman David Wright had two results for the second consecutive day. Before Wednesday's game, Wright had hit only 1-for-23 in July.
Los Angeles' Manny Ramirez went 2-for-2 with two RBI singles before being substituted in the bottom of the seventh. Ramirez is 6-for-18 with two homers since returning on July 3 from a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned drug. "I feel great. But I'm not 23 anymore," said Ramirez. "I have to go step by step." (Writing by Jahmal Angle in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
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