Angels Prevail Again; Young Is Getting Old

This weekend has been a rocky homecoming for Matt Young.

The former UCLA pitcher, acquired by the Dodgers in a trade last winter with the Seattle Mariners, gave up a leadoff home run to pinch-hitter George Hendrick in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday night, handing the Angels a 2-1 victory before a crowd of 61,272 at Anaheim Stadium.

This came less than 24 hours after Young had walked in the only run as the Dodgers lost, 1-0, Friday night in the opening game of the Freeway Series.

This is the Dodgers’ left-handed stopper?

Tom Lasorda isn’t worried.

“He really didn’t have that bad of an inning Friday,” the Dodger manager said. “The result was bad, but he didn’t pitch poorly. Tonight, the guy wanted to hit it. What are you going to do?”

In Young’s case, watch it sail over the left-field fence.

Thus ended another night of brilliant pitching, excellent defense and silent bats.

Angel starter Don Sutton, who gave up only one hit in six innings, credited his defense.

“Tonight you saw the reason everyone here is excited about our young guys,” Sutton said. “All I did was give them a chance to work.”

With center fielder Gary Pettis, shortstop Dick Schofield and second baseman Mark McLemore all making noteworthy plays behind four Angel pitchers, the Dodgers got only four hits.

DeWayne Buice, who worked a 1-2-3 ninth, picked up the victory.

The Angel offense wasn’t much more productive against Dodger starter Bob Welch and Alejandro Pena.

Pena moved a step closer to landing a spot in the starting rotation, working four scoreless innings. In 22 innings this spring, he has allowed only one earned run.

While declining to say if Pena would be the Dodgers’ fifth starter, Lasorda said: “There’s a good chance. He’s pitched exceptionally well.”

The Angels had only six hits, but that’s more than the Dodgers have in both games.

The Dodgers, who got only two hits against three pitchers Friday night, had only one in six innings against Sutton, but at least they had a run to show for it.

Len Matuszek’s second-inning single brought home Pedro Guerrero, who had reached second base when Doug DeCinces’ throw glanced off first baseman Wally Joyner’s glove and landed in the Dodger dugout for a two-base error.

For the Dodger offense, that was just about it.

After Matuszek’s single to right, Sutton set down 12 straight batters before left fielder Jack Howell dropped Steve Sax’s line drive in the sixth for an error.

Sutton then retired Mariano Duncan and called it a night. Apparently ready to start the season--he’ll face Seattle Thursday night--Sutton faced only two batters over the minimum, striking out two and walking none while making only 76 pitches.

It was 1-1 when he left, the Angels having scored in the second. Darrell Miller doubled into the right-field corner off Bob Welch and scored on a two-out single to center by Pettis.

Pettis then stole an extra-base hit from Sax in the third, making an over-the-shoulder catch before running into the fence in center field.

The spectacular play earned Pettis a standing ovation.

A diving catch in the sixth inning by Dodger center fielder Mike Ramsey wasn’t as spectacular but probably was more important. It took a hit away from Mark Ryal and a run away from the Angels and Ruppert Jones, who had walked and moved to second on a sacrifice.

The Angels put runners on first and third with two out in the seventh, but Pena, who had relieved Welch in the fifth, got McLemore to fly to left to end the threat.

Freeway Series Notes

Without directly telling Willie Fraser that he had made the team, Angel Manager Gene Mauch asked the Angel rookie Friday night if he would be ready to back up John Candelaria Wednesday night against the Seattle Mariners. “I guess that’s telling me,” Fraser said. Inspired by the news, Fraser relieved starter Urbano Lugo and no-hit the Dodgers for four innings, picking up the decision in the Angels’ 1-0 victory. “It was also the first time I’d thrown in Anaheim Stadium, so I was pretty pumped up,” Fraser said. “I don’t know if I’ll be used as a set-up man for Donnie (Moore) or what, but as long as I’m here, it doesn’t really matter.” . . . Asked how Fraser would be used, Mauch said: “Significant. If I don’t have significant appearances for him, he’ll be somewhere else because he’s too good to be sitting around doing nothing.” Somewhere else means Edmonton and Triple-A.

Mauch also indicated that Mike Cook has made the Angel pitching staff. “Cook has been told by me--Tuesday or Wednesday, I believe--that he is not on trial every time he goes out.” Does that mean he can be penciled in on the staff? “You can pencil him in on mine,” Mauch said. . . . Cook’s inclusion leaves the final spot on the staff for either Gary Lucas or Stewart Cliburn. Both are nursing injuries--Lucas a sore left shoulder and Cliburn a sore right arm. . . . Angel first baseman Wally Joyner left the game after the fourth inning with a slightly twisted left ankle.

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said that rookie Mike Ramsey, the non-roster player who hit .364 in Florida and is threatening to make the jump from Double-A to replace Ken Landreaux as the Dodgers’ starting center fielder, has made the team. “We’re very, very impressed with him,” Lasorda said. “He showed he’s got some pop in his bat.” The former minor-league pitcher, who became a full-time outfielder in 1984, also showed that he can chase down fly balls in center field. . . . Pitcher Brian Holton also went a long way toward landing a spot on the Dodger roster Friday night, striking out four and walking one while giving up only two hits in three shutout innings. He has walked three and struck out 15 in 18 innings this spring. . . . The Dodgers will announce their cuts after today’s game. . . . The Dodgers are scheduled to leave LAX at 6 tonight and arrive in Houston at 10:30 p.m. for Monday night’s season opener against the Astros and Cy Young Award winner Mike Scott. The Dodgers’ Bill Madlock arrived at Anaheim Stadium Saturday night with a cold and was sent home. Franklin Stubbs never arrived, staying home with the flu. . . . The two games at Anaheim Stadium drew 103,545. . . . Today’s pitchers for the 1:05 p.m. game at Dodger Stadium: The Angels’ Kirk McCaskill against Jerry Reuss and Tim Leary. . . . The Angels will open Tuesday at home against Seattle. Mauch said he may announce his roster after today’s game.