Hatcher, Honeycutt Full of Surprises as Dodgers Beat Pirates

Mickey Hatcher, that noted prankster whose primary contribution to the Dodgers had been some much-needed comic relief, pulled a different sort of gag Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.

Forget about the time years ago when he shredded Manager Tom Lasorda’s pants and ran them up a flag pole, or when he had a priest sprinkle the Dodger bats with holy water on Easter.

What Hatcher did in Thursday night’s 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before a Dodger Stadium crowd of 27,621, who saw starter Rick Honeycutt get his elusive first win, was far more enjoyable for the Dodgers than his usual theatrics.

Hatcher, as usual making full use of the element of surprise, christened the Dodgers’ productive night with a leadoff home run in the second inning. Hatcher later singled and scored in the fourth and slashed a run-scoring single in the fifth.

Not bad for a guy standing in for injured right fielder Mike Marshall, whose back problems persist.

“That is what this game is made for,” said Hatcher, who apparently only moonlights as a prankster. “You want to be out there and play. But everybody’s got a role, and you can’t play every day. I’m happy to fill in whenever they need me.”

For sustained effort, though, Hatcher was somewhat overshadowed by Honeycutt.

Honeycutt, who has pitched well this season despite three no-decisions and a loss, struck out a career-high 10 batters.

But Honeycutt failed in his bid to record an even more elusive complete game. Honeycutt hadn’t done it in 36 starts, and he made it to the ninth with the bid looking strong.

That’s when fate, not to mention the Pirates, intervened. Honeycutt gave up a leadoff double to Mike Diaz, who eventually scored on Junior Ortiz’s infield single.

That was it for Honeycutt. Manager Tom Lasorda opted for Matt Young, who gave up a bunt single to Rafael Belliard but then served up a double-play ground ball to former Dodger R.J. Reynolds and earned his second save.

“It’ll get there,” Honeycutt said of the latest failed complete-game bid. “I don’t worry about it.”

In all other aspects, though, this was a completely satisfying game for Honeycutt, who had been a victim of the relief corps, lack of runs, defensive miscues and an injury in his earlier starts.

“I felt great out there,” Honeycutt said. “I had enough stuff to keep going. But it’s just that that guy (Belliard) was coming up and he had hit everything I had thrown up.”

The only other time Pittsburgh got to Honeycutt was in the seventh, when Sid Bream, another former Dodger, hit a two-run home run to center field.

If Honeycutt looked over his shoulder as he pitched in the ninth, it was understandable. He went all 28 starts last season without finishing what he started, but that nearly changed Thursday night.

Honeycutt can thank Hatcher, among others, for providing offense on a night when Lasorda drastically altered the lineup.

Hatcher doubled his RBI total to four with his home run off Pirate starter Bob Kipper and single off Hipolito Pena.

But, it was also a big night for two other Dodger reserves--Reggie Williams and Alex Trevino.

Williams, who started in center field because Mike Ramsey has been immersed in a 5-for-35 slump, responded with a fourth-inning single--his first hit of the season--driving in two runs. Trevino, giving Mike Scioscia a night off behind the plate, also contributed. Trevino had a single, and after being intentionally walked in the fourth, he scored on a squeeze bunt by Honeycutt.

Another somewhat unexpected offensive weapon turned out to be shortstop Mariano Duncan, who hit a home run to left field off Kipper in the third. It was Duncan’s third home run of the season.

Dodger Notes

Former Dodger first baseman Wes Parker approached Mike Marshall in the clubhouse during an interview session with the media and asked: “Mike, if a winter’s rest and therapy won’t make your back better, what do you think will?” Answered Marshall, cordially: “That’s why I went to see the doctor. As long as there is a doubt in my mind, I have to find out what it is.” . . . During Thursday night’s game, the Dodgers also announced that Marshall will see a hand specialist in Los Angeles on Saturday to determine what action to take on the bothersome wart on Marshall’s index finger. . . . . . . Steve Sax was hit in the right eye by a foul ball that bounced off the dirt in the fifth inning. Sax stayed in the game but was replaced in the seventh by Dave Anderson. Trainer Bill Buhler said Sax was not seriously injured. . . . Dodger catcher Mike Scioscia and former Dodger pitcher Al Downing will sign autographs from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at Santa Anita Fashion Park in Arcadia, not from 9 a.m. to noon, as previously reported in The Times’ San Gabriel Valley section.