Alexander Throws Dodgers Off Balance : He Pitches a Four-Hitter, Murphy Hits 18th Homer in 7-1 Victory

Doyle Alexander had a simple explanation for a complete-game four-hit performance that sparked the Atlanta Braves to a 7-1 victory over the Dodgers Wednesday night.

“I threw strikes, I changed speeds and I moved the ball around,” Alexander said.

Dale Murphy hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning after the Braves built a 5-1 lead in the first two innings.

Alexander (2-1) threw only 95 pitches, just 29 of those for balls.

“Is that right?” he asked of the low ball total. “I’m going to have to work on that.”

He went to a three-ball count on only one batter, leading to his only walk. He struck out four.

“I threw everything I had except no knuckleballs or curves,” Alexander said. “Mostly it was the fastball, change and slider.”

Said Atlanta Manager Chuck Tanner: “He has the weapons and controls all of them. He’s like a surgeon . . . a sculptor.”

Added Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda: “He has a herky-jerky motion. He got a lot of guys out hitting off their front foot.”

The Braves ended a three-game winning streak for the Dodgers and snapped their own two-game losing streak.

The Braves handed Rick Honeycutt (2-5) his fourth straight loss.

Murphy hit his 18th of the year over the center field fence, a 425-foot shot, on a 3-and-0 pitch from reliever Ken Howell, scoring Albert Hall, who opened the sixth with a single.

The Dodgers got their only run in the second when Franklin Stubbs doubled and scored on Mickey Hatcher’s single.

Atlanta scored twice in the first. A double by Rafael Ramirez and walks to Gary Roenicke and Murphy loaded the bases before Ted Simmons hit a two-run double down the left field line.

Hall stole second after reaching base on a fielder’s choice in the second and went to third when Ramirez beat out an infield hit up the middle. Roenicke walked to load the bases. Murphy bounced a 3-and-0 pitch to third baseman Hatcher, whose throw to the plate hit Hall in the head and rolled away, allowing Hall and Ramirez to score and leaving Atlanta with runners at second and third.

Simmons grounded out, with Roenicke scoring.