Angels Squeeze By Dodgers

With both teams’ offenses making only token appearances over the weekend, the Freeway Series mercifully droned to a close Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

The Angels scored only five runs in three games but swept the annual exhibition series from the Dodgers, who scored only two.

It was the first time the Angels had ever swept a three-game series from the Dodgers.

They won Sunday, 2-1, before a crowd of 34,601 when a ninth-inning squeeze bunt by Gary Pettis brought home Dick Schofield from third base.

“Thank God these games don’t count,” said Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda, whose team opens the season tonight at Houston against Cy Young Award winner Mike Scott.

The Dodgers tuned up for Scott by getting only 13 hits in the series, including a second-inning home run Sunday by Pedro Guerrero, and striking out nine times in six innings Sunday against Kirk McCaskill.

“I hope we don’t see that tomorrow,” Lasorda said. “I hope we come out with our hitting shoes on.”

Lasorda didn’t say it, but he’s undoubtedly hoping for a little more consistency from his bullpen, too.

After Matt Young lost the first two games of the series by giving up a bases-loaded walk Friday night and a pinch home run to George Hendrick Saturday night, Tom Niedenfuer was victimized Sunday.

With one out in the ninth, he gave up consecutive singles to Schofield and pinch-hitter Jack Howell. They were only the Angels’ third and fourth hits on a day when Jerry Reuss, perhaps saving his spot on the roster, gave up only 2 hits in 4 innings and Tim Leary gave up none in 4 more.

Pettis laid down a bunt that wasn’t fielded by Niedenfuer until Schofield crossed the plate.

“I don’t know if he tried to turn it over or not,” Pettis said of the pitch, “but it looked to me like a fastball. It wasn’t right over the middle of the plate, but it had quite a bit of the plate and I was able to put it down. In that situation, I didn’t have to be perfect. I just had to get it on the ground.”

That was enough for Stewart Cliburn, who gave up a one-out infield single to Reggie Williams in the ninth before getting Len Matuszek to ground into a game-ending double play.

Among the three Angel pitchers who relieved McCaskill Sunday were Cliburn and Gary Lucas, who are thought to be fighting for the 10th spot on the staff.

Both worked a scoreless inning on a day in which the Dodgers had eight hits, more than doubling their output for the series, but had two runners thrown out at third base.

Mike Scioscia strayed too far off third in the second inning as Mike Ramsey struck out. He was thrown out by Angel catcher Butch Wynegar, although on the replay it appeared he beat the tag.

Steve Sax, running from second base in the third inning, took a big turn around third as Mike Marshall’s bad-hop grounder bounced off the chest of Angel second baseman Mark McLemore, who retrieved the ball and threw out Sax.

The Dodgers went quietly after that. McCaskill made 105 pitches in what Angel Manager Gene Mauch called his sharpest outing of the spring.

The Angels tied the game in the third on Brian Downing’s run-scoring double, but didn’t get another hit until the ninth.

Donnie Moore picked up the win, striking out two in a 1-2-3 eighth.

“We saw some of their million-dollar pitchers,” Mauch said, “and they saw some of our guys who don’t make quite that much.”

But nobody saw much hitting.

Freeway Series Notes

For the Record: The Dodger salary chart that appeared in Sunday’s editions contained an error regarding Mike Scioscia’s 1989 salary. The Dodgers, if they want to retain Scioscia in 1989, can exercise an option and keep Scioscia at a salary of $1.1 million. There is no buyout provision involved. . . . The Angels swept two-game series from the Dodgers three times previously. . . . Angel center fielder Gary Pettis was named as the winner of the Fresco Thompson Trophy as the outstanding player of the series. Pettis was 2 for 6 in the series, made a spectacular catch in Saturday night’s game and drove in the winning run Sunday with a squeeze bunt. . . . The Lefty Phillips Trophy, which goes to the outstanding pitcher in the series, went to the Angels’ Willie Fraser, who no-hit the Dodgers and struck out five in a four-inning stint to pick up the victory Friday night. . . . The three-game series drew 138,146. . . . The Angels lead the Freeway Series, which began in 1962, 28-25-1. . . . Orel Hershiser, a surprise choice over Fernando Valenzuela, will face Mike Scott tonight at Houston. Said Hershiser: “Even the guys on the team are asking me if I’m excited, and I am. But I’m trying to keep it down because I don’t want to get too high. No matter what happens, I still have 35 starts ahead of me if I stay healthy.” . . . Mariano Duncan on facing Scott: “I don’t think he scares anybody on this team. He’s the same pitcher as anyone else we’ll face. I remember in 1985, my rookie year, I had to face Nolan Ryan in the opener. Everybody asked me if I was concerned, but I treat him like any other pitcher, too.” . . . Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said he has decided between Ken Landreaux and rookie Mike Ramsey as his starting center fielder, but won’t announce it until today. . . . After three games at Houston, the Dodgers will return home to face the San Francisco Giants in their home opener Thursday at 1:05 p.m. at Dodger Stadium. . . . The Angels open at Anaheim Stadium Tuesday at 2:05 p.m. against the Seattle Mariners. Mike Witt will oppose Mark Langston. . . . Both teams will work out today at Anaheim Stadium. . . . Wally Joyner, who left Saturday night’s game after the fourth inning with a slightly sprained left ankle, was back in the lineup Sunday. “He got hung up in the dampness of the batter’s box,” said Angel Manager Gene Mauch, meaning that Joyner got his foot caught in the mud. “It wasn’t a problem, but I didn’t want him fooling around worrying about his ankle and then hurting that hamstring.” Joyner has been bothered by a strained right hamstring. . . . George Hendrick was 5 for 6 as a pinch-hitter in the spring, including his ninth-inning home run Saturday night that gave the Angels a 2-1 victory. . . . The Dodgers ended the exhibition season with a 12-15 record. . . . The Angels were 15-15, including a nine-game winning streak to close out the spring. Mauch on the significance of the streak: “It means you’re playing the kind of baseball you want to play.” . . . Angel rookie Devon White led the majors with 48 spring hits, but was only 1 for 12 in the Freeway Series. . . . The Albuquerque Dukes signed free agent Dennis Burtt, a right-handed pitcher who was formerly in the Minnesota Twins’ organization. Burtt, 29, played at Villa Park High School.