Dodgers Have a Meeting of the Minds, Then Lose to Mets, 5-1

Group therapy replaced pugilism as the Dodgers’ preferred method of dealing with problems in the clubhouse before Friday night’s game against the New York Mets.

There were, by one count, three closed-door, closed-subject meetings, all necessitated by the fisticuffs of two nights before. All these confidential confabs were enough to make Hollywood producers envious.

Mike Marshall and Phil Garner, the principals in Wednesday’s fight, talked about their differences in Manager Tom Lasorda’s office. Then, Lasorda and Dodger Vice President Fred Claire made it a foursome. Still later, there was a team meeting to stress pulling together even after two players needed to be pulled apart earlier in the week.

Well, at least they talked a good game Friday night. On the field, the Dodgers’ deficiencies spoke volumes once again as the Mets breezed to a 5-1 win before a Dodger Stadium crowd of 31,913 that included a vocal Met following.

It was the Dodgers’ eighth straight loss, a season high. They also have lost eight consecutive home games, the most in the 25 years of Dodger Stadium.

The Mets’ win, made possible by early home runs by Keith Hernandez and pitcher Rick Aguilera off Dodger starter Shawn Hillegas (2-2), kept them only 3 1/2 games behind St. Louis, which leads the National League East. The Cardinals’ win, in turn, helped the Dodgers stay two games ahead of San Diego in the race for the NL West cellar.

Yet another Dodger meeting, this one on the mound, occurred just six pitches into the game. Pitching coach Ron Perranoski tried to calm Hillegas, who had thrown five balls.

Hillegas eventually got out of that jam but gave up the home runs to Hernandez in the third inning and to Aguilera in the fourth and was lifted for a pinch-hitter after five innings.

“I wasn’t in the game from the beginning,” Hillegas said. “It wasn’t that I threw a real bad game, it’s just that the mistakes I made cost me.”

The Mets added two runs in the eighth as reliever Ron Davis failed in his second straight test as a Dodger. Davis, picked up late this summer after being released by the Chicago Cubs, has allowed three earned runs and four hits in one inning in his two outings.

Aguilera, meanwhile, posted his third straight win after coming off the disabled list with a sprained elbow ligament. Two of those victories have come against the Dodgers.

The Dodgers rallied for a run in the ninth on a pinch single by Ralph Bryant off Roger McDowell, who replaced Aguilera with two on and no outs.

In 15 innings against Aguilera (7-2) in the last two weeks, the Dodgers managed just nine hits and one run. Friday night, they had five singles off Aguilera--two each by John Shelby and Glenn Hoffman and another by Pedro Guerrero.

Both home runs off Hillegas occurred with two outs. Hernandez’s came after Wally Backman popped a bunt over the mound. Hillegas dropped the ball, and Backman was safe. Then, Hillegas went 3 and 0 to Hernandez before giving up a line-drive home run to right field.

“I tell you, I just can’t stand losing,” said Lasorda, pausing before a spread of food. “It’s eating my insides out.”

Once again, the action may have been more interesting before the game, with all those meetings being held.

Marshall, expected to come off the disabled list tonight, would not discuss his meetings. Garner simply said, “We talked man-to-man. Let’s leave it at that.”

Said Claire: “There are times when meetings are appropriate in terms of management’s relationship with the players. What the ultimate effect of it will be, I don’t know. But I felt something needed to be addressed.”

Asked if the bad feelings between Garner and Marshall have subsided, Claire said: “I consider them both professional people and they can can solve their differences.”

Dodger Notes

John Roseboro, whose contract as a roving minor league batting instructor ended earlier in the week, has been named as one of the two managers for the Dodgers’ teams in the Arizona Instructional League. The other manager will be Tim Johnson, the Dodgers’ rookie league manager in Great Falls, Mont. Asked if this might be the first step to a managing career, Roseboro, 54, said: “It’s definitely another step, but I don’t know about the future. It’s something else I can put on my resume. The team is in flux right now, and nobody knows who’s going to be around after the first of October. Peter (O’Malley, the owner) is the only one who knows.” Roseboro said he wants to instill intensity and fundamentals into the Dodgers’ minor league teams, something he said was lacking during his summer tour of the Dodger farm teams. “It wasn’t encouraging when you see the teams losing and losing with no fire, no life,” Roseboro said. The Arizona Instructional League is from Sept. 11 to Oct. 31.

Al Campanis, the former Dodger vice president, was a guest in O’Malley’s private box Friday night. Campanis has attended several games since he was fired in April. . . . Second baseman Steve Sax (back and heel soreness), third basemen Tracy Woodson (sprained wrist) and Mickey Hatcher (groin) were late scratches Friday night. Sax said his back has been bothering him since May. “I really shouldn’t have played the other night, because it was really hurting.” . . . Reliever Matt Young (elbow ligament strain) threw in the bullpen for 11 minutes before Friday’s game. Young said he should be ready to pitch again Sunday. . . . Mike Marshall said his left ankle “feels great” and that he should be healthy enough to be reactivated tonight. . . . Despite the criticism of the Dodgers’ minor league talent pool, three players from their Triple-A team--pitcher Shawn Hillegas, third baseman Jeff Hamilton and outfielder Jose Gonzalez--were selected among the top 10 prospects in the Pacific Coast League in a poll of the managers.