All the Dodger Stadium Cheering Is for Lakers

If the crowd reaction at Dodger Stadium Sunday afternoon sometimes seemed peculiarly out of sequence with the action on the field, sort of like a Godzilla movie dubbed in English, it was caused by the Lakers as much as the Houston Astros.

Those among the crowd of 36,901 with radios or miniature television sets tuned into the Laker-Celtic game couldn’t be blamed for cheering the events across town, since Astro pitcher Danny Darwin made sure the Dodgers wouldn’t offer much in the way of thrills.

Darwin pitched a two-hitter in dismissing the Dodgers, 4-1, thus silencing an offense that had appeared to be emerging from another slumber by scoring seven runs the previous night.

But after the first inning, in which he gave up a two-out home run to Pedro Guerrero and a subsequent single to Mike Marshall, Darwin completely muffled Dodger hitters. He threw a no-hitter for the final 8 innings, allowing only a fourth-inning walk to Marshall.

So, in their last three losses, the Dodgers (29-33) have totaled just three runs. Given that output, it was perhaps understandable that the crowd would be distracted.

Bursts of applause, though, happened at some embarrassingly inopportune times for the Dodgers.

In the sixth, when pitching coach Ron Perranoski walked out of the dugout to remove Dodger starter Tim Leary, who had given up 4 runs and 11 hits in 5 innings, there were scattered cheers that coincided with a sky hook made in Inglewood by a certain bald center.

And in the bottom of the sixth, when Mariano Duncan struck out on three pitches and Steve Sax was walking to the plate, there was chanting and a long ovation celebrating the Laker win. “I was thinking these people really liked me,” Sax said. “Then, I found out the ovation was for the Lakers . . . (After that) they booed me when I struck out.”

Darwin silenced the Dodgers, and the fans, from then on.

As is sometimes the case after an opposing pitcher throws well against his team, Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda flippantly said of Darwin: “He pitched like Walter Johnson out there today.” Darwin thus joins New York’s Terry Leach and Atlanta’s Doyle Alexander as the latest Walter Johnson incarnates.

That list might continue to grow if the Dodgers’ offensive drought persists. Throw out Saturday night’s 7-1 victory over the Astros, and the Dodgers have been outscored 17-3 in the last five games. Naturally, their only win came Saturday.

“You ask how much of it was Darwin,” Lasorda said. “The fact is, we aren’t hitting. The last three games we lost, look at our offensive output. That tells the story. Two runs in three games. You can’t beat anybody doing that.

“Pete hit the ball out of the park and then Marshall got that single and, boom, that was it. You certainly can’t feel good about that.”

That’s especially true for Leary, who is trying to win a permanent spot as the Dodgers’ fifth starter. Houston did not hit Leary particularly hard, just consistently. All the hits off Leary were singles, many being well-placed ground balls but a few line drives.

Leary worked into jams in each of the first four innings. Consecutive singles to Denny Walling and Glenn Davis in the first set up Kevin Bass’ run-scoring single. Leary got out of a bases-loaded jam in the second unscathed, but he gave up two runs in the third on an RBI single by Terry Puhl that scored Davis and later a squeeze bunt by Dickie Thon that scored Bass.

Leary’s undoing came in the sixth, and it was mostly of his doing. He gave up a leadoff single to Billy Hatcher, who moved to second on a Leary balk. Billy Doran then laced a line to right, perhaps the Astros’ hardest hit of the afternoon, scoring Hatcher.

Lasorda was noncommittal when asked if Leary will remain his fifth starter. The Dodgers have an off day today and next Monday and might go back to a four-man rotation, and Brian Holton continues to look strong in relief if they want to give him a chance.

“I don’t know yet,” Lasorda said. “I haven’t thought about it.”

Relievers Brad Havens, Holton and Ken Howell subdued Houston after that, but the Dodgers were never able to figure out Darwin, now 4-4.

Darwin’s only mistakes--Guerrero’s home run and Marshall’s single--both came on low fastballs. After that, though, Darwin was unhittable and nearly perfect.

“About the third inning, I felt really strong and I had my location down,” Darwin said. “I felt really strong in the ninth. I’ve been pretty consistent all year, but this was the best stuff I’ve had all year.”

The Dodger offense, meanwhile, has been the opposite.

“We’ve just been inconsistent,” Sax said. “That’s the way it’s been all year. Everybody’s got a scientific reason why, but we just aren’t doing it. Anybody can see that.”

Except maybe those Laker fans at Dodger Stadium.

Dodger Notes

The Dodgers’ attempt to sign free agent relief pitcher Terry Forster are off--at least for a day or two. Representatives of Forster rejected the contract terms offered by Fred Claire, the Dodgers’ vice president. “We had presented to Mark Polan (Forster’s agent) a very specific outline and they felt they’ve got a better opportunity,” Claire said . “Very candidly, I have the impression from speaking to Mark Polan’s cousin (Mike, also a lawyer) that Terry’s going to go with another team.” However, if Forster cannot come to terms with another team, Claire said his offer still stands. . . . After Sunday’s game, the Dodgers announced that catcher Mike Scioscia (fractured finger on his left hand) will be activated for Tuesday’s game in San Diego. Gilberto Reyes will be sent back to Albuquerque having appeared in only one game with no at-bats. Scioscia has been hitting in the batting cage the last two days and has caught occasionally in the bullpen. . . . Shortstop Mariano Duncan says he still has lingering pain in bruised left buttock and hip, but he wants to play anyway. However, Manager Tom Lasorda once again decided to start Dave Anderson on Sunday. Duncan entered the game in the sixth inning, replacing Anderson, and struck out. Ralph Bryant pinch-hit for Duncan in the ninth. Duncan said he took himself out for a pinch-hitter because of pain while hitting in the sixth. . . . Add injury update: Reliever Matt Young threw in the bullpen again before Sunday’s game and reported more improvement in his left elbow. Young suffered a strained ligament in his elbow June 7 in Cincinnati. “I didn’t throw full speed today, but I let it out a little bit,” said Young, who said he did not throw any sliders. “It felt fine. Everything’s perfect. I’m going to throw a little bit on Tuesday before the game (in San Diego). If it’s all right, then I’ll be ready.” . . . Len Matuszek, bothered since May 1 by a partial tear of the plantar fascia tissue under his left foot that is slow healing, will be examined by Dr. F. William Wagner, a foot specialist, today. . . . Veteran utility man Danny Heep, signed by the Dodgers on Friday, had two hits Saturday with the Dodgers’ double-A team in San Antonio. Heep, who missed spring training, is working out in the minors and eventually will join the Dodgers, though Claire said there is no specific timetable