Marshall Breaks Free From Some Trying Times

A stiff back, a wart on his hand, a bout with the flu and a case of overtrying are among the afflictions that have beset Mike Marshall in recent weeks.

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda had a suggestion for the latter problem. Lasorda, believing that Marshall was taking too much on himself, called the right fielder aside before Sunday’s game with the Padres and told him to relax.

Lasorda’s pep talk went something like this:

“Don’t try too hard. Just do what you’re capable of. You’re a great ballplayer, and you’re going to win a lot of games for us. Just take it easy.”

Marshall responded with two home runs and five RBIs as the Dodgers defeated the Padres, 9-1.

Marshall had grown frustrated because he hadn’t hit a home run all year, while Pedro Guerrero and Franklin Stubbs were swinging well, with seven homers between them.

“I’m in an important spot in the batting order,” Marshall said. “Me and Franklin have to put fear in their hearts after Pete’s up. It’s very important that Pete gets his pitches to hit.”

In the first half of last season, Marshall was leading the National League with 17 home runs and was second with 45 RBIs before his stiff back limited him to two home runs after June 20.

Marshall is learning to live with his condition. He has been diligently stretching and icing his back as part of the ongoing rehabilitation.

The spot on his left hand where a nagging wart was removed has nearly healed, and the flu departed several weeks ago. Marshall almost has his timing back, according to hitting coach Manny Mota. And he’s eager to do his share.

“When you watch Pete and Franklin doing their jobs . . . well, there’s three guys on our club who supply the power,” Marshall said.

“It’s not like I’ve been inept, but I haven’t been swinging the way I’m capable. I’ve been pressing and swinging at bad pitches. I’m sure there’s been guys in the National League who have hit more homers than me who went 12 or 13 games without a homer.”

He almost ended the drought in Saturday’s 5-2 Dodger victory, but Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn thrust his glove above the wall to deprive Marshall of a home run.

There was no way any outfielder was going to rob him Sunday.

The first of his homers was a towering shot off relief pitcher Dave Dravecky into the empty center-field bleachers.

“Awesome,” Lasorda said, estimating that the ball carried 450 feet.

Marshall, who swung at the first pitch from Dravecky, got a fastball out over the plate.

“I was just trying to make contact and hit the ball hard,” he said, adding that he “was as surprised as anybody” that the ball cleared the 17-foot-high cement wall and ricocheted in the bleachers.

Marshall hit another home run in the eighth off Greg Booker, clearing the 370-foot sign in left-center.

“If Mike gets hot, him and Pete, they’re awesome,” Lasorda said.

It was the seventh two-homer game of Marshall’s career and the first since June 17 of last year in Atlanta, when he connected against Rick Mahler and Paul Assenmacher.

Marshall moved past Joe Ferguson into 10th place on the Dodger all-time home-run list with 93.

“Baseball has a way of humbling you,” Marshall said. “One day you think you have it, but the next day you don’t. Today shows I’m still capable of hitting with some power. I’ll cherish it for a day, but tomorrow, I have to do it all over.”