John Is Sharp in 1-0 Loss to Dodgers

It now appears that Tommy John will continue pitching for the Angels.

His manager, Gene Mauch, seemed prepared to tell him that Saturday night, but John left the clubhouse even before the final out of the Angels’ 1-0 loss to the Dodgers.

An Anaheim Stadium crowd of 62,968, the largest in Freeway Series history, saw Jerry Reuss, who worked the first five innings, and Orel Hershiser, who worked the last four, shut out the Angels with an eight-hitter.

Sid Bream’s seventh-inning single off loser Jim Slaton scored the only run. Bream, who came in hitting .333, had three of the Dodgers’ eight hits as he pushed Jay Johnstone closer to the unemployment line.

Geoff Zahn had been scheduled to start for the Angels, but he rested a tired shoulder. So John pitched the first five innings and allowed just four hits. He closed out the spring by yielding just one run in 15 innings during three appearances.

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda, noting John’s competitiveness and his ability to keep the ball down, said: “He appears no different than the Tommy John who used to pitch for us.”

With Ken Forsch on the disabled list and the Angels lacking fourth and fifth starters, John’s effective work has thrust him back into the club’s plans, seemingly spoiling his desire to be traded.

John said the other day that he couldn’t feel good about a possible reappointment to the Angel rotation because it would seem to come only by default.

Nevertheless, it now appears likely that the 41-year-old left-hander will face Minnesota in the season’s third game Thursday night.

Asked about John’s status Saturday night, Mauch said: “He obviously pitched well, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to him, yet. I want to talk to him before I say anything. I’ll talk to him in the morning.”

Of John’s early exit, Mauch said:

“I want to talk to him about that, too, although it’s really my fault. I haven’t had a chance to have my meeting about protocol yet.

“Maybe he was allowed to leave last year; I don’t know what went on. I believe that a team should arrive together and leave together.”

General Manager Mike Port also refrained from making John’s retention official but insisted he had never been written out of the club’s plans, as John has contended.

“The only thing I told him in November,” Port said, “is that he didn’t figure to be one of our starters on the basis of the way he had finished the season. I didn’t say he couldn’t win a job or I didn’t tell he wasn’t in our plans.

“If I was guilty of anything it was trying to be candid, trying to create the type competition that I think our fans would want. Our feeling all along has been that if T.J. can pitch, we want him pitching for us. He certainly didn’t do anything tonight to disqualify himself.”

Bob Kipper, the 20-year-old rookie who seemed to disqualify himself by giving up seven runs in two innings against San Diego Thursday, came back to pitch a flawless ninth against the Dodgers, keeping his chances alive, perhaps.

The Angels would strand their final runner in the ninth, when Rob Wilfong singled with two out. Craig Gerber then hit a slow roller toward third. Guerrero raced in, fielded it flawlessly and made a running throw to first for the final out.

Said Lasorda: “Watching Pete play third was the most satisfying part of tonight’s game. I told him the other day that he’s playing so well it’s scary. (Coach) Monty Basgall deserves the credit. He’s spent a lot of time with Pete. He has him enthused about the position. He has him believing in himself.”

Said Mauch, shaking his head: “What in the world is Guerrero’s big problem about playing third base?”

The Angels, who had 16 hits in the 6-5 victory Friday night, entered Saturday night’s game with an exhibition average of 10.58 hits and 5.79 runs per game. They went right to work, but couldn’t get a run across.

Brian Downing and Juan Beniquez opened the home first with singles only to have Rufino Linares ground into a double play and Doug DeCinces ground out.

They put two more runners on in the second when Bobby Grich drew a two-out walk and Dick Schofield doubled to right. Reuss responded by striking out Jerry Narron.

The Angels went down in order in the third, but loaded the bases in the fourth on singles by Mike Brown and Darrell Miller and a walk to Grich. Dick Schofield then hit a grounder toward the hole on the left side of the infield. Pedro Guerrero, the reluctant third baseman, ranged toward second, scooped it up and initiated a stylish double play, ending the threat.

Reuss then completed his stint by retiring the Angels in order in the fifth.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, went meekly against John before snapping the scoreless tie at Slaton’s expense in the seventh.

Greg Brock drew a one-out walk, took second on a ground out and scored when Bream singled to right. Reggie Jackson bobbled the ball, producing catcalls from the crowd.

Freeway Series Notes

Bob Welch, who pitched only four innings as the Dodgers’ starter in Friday night’s game, has a strained muscle in his right elbow, trainer Bill Burhler said. Welch has encountered the problem before and believes it stems, in part, from a bone spur that has never been removed. He will be examined by Dr. Frank Jobe before the Dodgers leave for Houston Monday and is still scheduled to pitch next Friday’s Dodger Stadium opener with San Francisco. “Just because it’s not totally new makes me no less concerned,” Welch said, “but I do feel I know how to handle it.” Said Manager Tom Lasorda: “We’re concerned, but there’s not much we can do until he sees the doctor.” . . . Geoff Zahn, although replaced by Tommy John Saturday night, is still expected to face Minnesota Wednesday night. “Each of the last three times I pitched I wished I had one more day of rest,” Zahn said, alluding to his tired shoulder. “I was only going to pitch two innings tonight, anyway. If it was Wednesday, I’d have pitched.” The Dodgers’ R.J. Reynolds aggravated a ham string injury running a double in the eighth inning Saturday night and his status is on a day-to-day basis. . . . Rick Honeycutt faces Ron Romanick in today’s 1 o’clock series finale.