Woodson, Holton Provide Punch as Dodgers Stop Astros

In case anyone on the Dodgers or Houston Astros had any pugilistic efforts in mind Monday night, which was a serious threat when the teams met last week, World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman was on hand to sanction the bout.

But the only hits at Dodger Stadium on this night came from the bats of the Dodger and Astro hitters, and there weren’t many of those, either.

It was a very calm and restrained 4-2 Dodger victory before 39,784. All the name calling and obscene gestures that accompanied last week’s season-opening series in Houston were forgotten as the unlikely duo of rookies Brian Holton and Tracy Woodson helped the Dodgers hand the Astros their first loss of the season.

There were two knockouts in this bout, Dodger starter Rick Honeycutt leaving in the fourth inning on a TKO with a pulled muscle on his right side and Astro starter Nolan Ryan getting knocked out the conventional way by giving up three runs on four hits in six innings.

Woodson, a rookie filling in for injured Bill Madlock at third base, landed the first blow with a two-run home run off Ryan in the second inning. It was the first major league home run for Woodson, who made the jump from Double-A ball to the big leagues. The fact it came off a heavyweight like Ryan made it more memorable.

“He’s one of the best pitchers who ever threw,” Woodson said of Ryan. “It feels good to hit it off him. I wasn’t going to (admire the home run) too much on the first one. I don’t want to make him mad at me.

“I really haven’t gotten a taste of the bitter rivalry with (Houston), but I know it’s there. I saw it last week. It was really heating up.”

Woodson and Holton, who weren’t around to see the events last season that started the bad feelings, cooled it off when the teams met for the first time in Dodger Stadium.

Holton, whose longest outing of his brief career was a five-inning stint against Philadelphia last September in which he received a no-decision, was the unanimous winner Monday.

Holton worked five innings and, except for yielding a ninth-inning solo home run to Phil Garner, he never found himself on the ropes.

“The longest I had gone in spring training was three innings, so I feel a little tired now,” Holton said. “I got lazy on a couple of curve balls, especially a hanging curve to Garner. He jumped on it.

“It feels good just to get a win. I wanted to win for the team. We needed to beat these guys.”

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda, sitting under a pair of boxing gloves hanging from his locker, was asked if ending Houston’s unbeaten streak was satisfying.

“It’s good to finally beat anybody,” said Lasorda, whose team has now won three straight after losing the first five of the season. “We just want to keep winning.”

The Dodgers, who won their third straight game, did not come out of the first of three important games with Astros without any scars. Right fielder Mike Marshall missed the game because of a nagging wart on the index finger of his left hand. Before the game, he had an injection to help remove the wart.

If that could be categorized as a bizarre injury, what do you call the shot Ken Landreaux, Marshall’s replacement, took in the outfield chasing a fly ball in the fourth inning?

Landreaux ran into the wall, face first, while trying to run down a double by Kevin Bass. Momentarily shaken, Landreaux rubbed his glass jaw and returned to action.

Honeycutt looked uncomfortable in a rib brace after pulling a muscle; he probably felt like he received a punch to the midsection.

Honeycutt made it through four innings, allowing just one run and three hits. But while hitting--or trying to--against Ryan in the bottom of the second, Honeycutt pulled a muscle instead of the ball.

He struck out against Ryan and, two innings later, also found himself out of the game with what Dr. Frank Jobe diagnosed as a pulled muscle in his right side. Jobe said Honeycutt would be examined again today to determine the severity of the injury and the time-frame for Honeycutt’s return.

But trainer Bill Buhler said Honeycutt will likely miss his next start Saturday in San Diego.

Should he miss a start, the Dodgers might insert Tim Leary into the starting rotation. Or perhaps they might promote Holton, their touted middle and long reliever who finally made it to the major leagues after 10 seasons in the minors.

“That would be fine,” Holton said. “I’m just happy to be here. I’ll do whatever they want me to do.”

Lasorda remained noncommittal. Obviously, he’s hoping Honeycutt can make it back. If not, he’s leaning toward Holton.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Lasorda said. “I don’t want to say right now. The job he did tonight could very well earn him that start.”

Holton was Lasorda’s first choice to replace Honeycutt Monday. And as it turned out, a real good choice.

Dodger Notes

Manny Mota, the Dodger first base coach, was hospitalized early Monday morning after complaining of chest pains. Mota, 49, is expected to stay at Glendale Memorial Hospital for a few days to undergo tests. In December, when Mota was managing in the Dominican Republic, he flew to Los Angeles and was hospitalized for two days complaining of similar pains, but tests showed no evidence of a heart condition or other physical problems. . . . Jerry Reuss, released by the Dodgers on Friday, apparently has drawn the interest of the Philadelphia Phillies, who were interested in Reuss even while he still was with the Dodgers. The Phillies could sign Reuss for as little as the major league minimum of $62,500 because he is guaranteed $1.35 million from the Dodgers over the next two seasons. . . . The Dodgers on Monday signed right-handed pitcher Pete Ladd to a Triple-A contract. Ladd, 30, had an 8-6 record, six saves and a 3.82 earned-run average in 52 appearances with Seattle last season. The Dodgers signed Ladd on the recommendation of special assignment scout Phil Regan, who formerely was the Mariners’ pitching coach. During the winter, Regan also recommended that the Dodgers trade for left-handed reliever Matt Young. . . . Young’s first save as a Dodger on Sunday was one more than either Ed Vande Berg or Carlos Diaz, his predecessors as the club’s left-handed “stopper,” earned in their Dodger tenures. . . . Before the game, Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda was asked his opinion of the conduct of Astros Manager Hal Lanier last Wednesday in Houston. At the time of the incident, in which Lanier thought that Fernando Valenzuela was throwing at him at home plate with warm-up tosses. Afterward, Lanier said he wanted “a piece” of Lasorda. “I think he made an ass out of himself,” Lasorda said before the game. . . . The Astros are bringing ace pitcher Mike Scott back on only three days’ rest so that he could pitch Wednesday against the Dodgers. Since the Astros have an off day Thursday, the only other option would be to pitch him on five days’ rest on Friday. . . . Bill Madlock continues, with no problem, to rehabilitate his right shoulder. Madlock currently is working on range of motion exercises, but he said he will begin listing weights in a few days. “It already feels better than it did before (arthroscopic surgery),” Madlock said. . . . Valenzuela received Mexico’s 1986 Athlete of the Year award before Monday’s game. . . . Bob Welch (0-1) faces Danny Darwin (0-0) tonight at 7:05.