Welch’s One-Hitter Quiets Giants : Dodgers Finish With 40-41 Home Record After 7-0 Win

Dodger Stadium, in its prime at age 25, survived Thursday morning’s earthquake quite nicely. Officials said there was no structural damage, a testimony to a strong foundation.

The foundation of the Dodger team, however, has proven not nearly so strong. Thursday night’s 7-0 win over the San Francisco Giants, behind Bob Welch’s one-hitter, gave the Dodgers a final home record of 40-41. It is only the third time in 30 years that they have had a losing record at home.

A crowd of 31,914 saw Welch (15-9) almost completely stifle the Giants. The only hit he gave up was a line-drive single by Mike Aldrete with one out in the sixth. Welch allowed only two other baserunners. Aldrete reached second in the fourth on a misplayed fly ball by left fielder Ralph Bryant, and Eddie Milner walked in the sixth.

“I had good control and I made good pitches from start to finish,” said Welch after his third career one-hitter.

Said an admiring Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda: “I enjoyed the one-hitter a lot more than the earthquake today.”

The earthquake might not have knocked out the stadium, but it kept Dodger slugger Pedro Guerrero out of the lineup. According to trainer Bill Buhler, Guerrero sprained his right wrist during the earthquake when he tried to keep his 40-inch television set from falling off a table at his home.

“Pete said he wanted to make an announcement,” Lasorda deadpanned. “Pete says he’s hurting, but the TV is resting comfortably.”

All the other Dodger players emerged unscathed from the earthquake but not from lingering baseball-related injuries.

Franklin Stubbs will undergo arthroscopic surgery this morning to repair a dislocated right shoulder, which he reinjured falling down stairs at his home Wednesday.

The Dodgers announced that catcher Mike Scioscia will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee cartilage. Infielder Dave Anderson will have arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to repair a possible tear in his left shoulder. Also, George Hinshaw, the most valuable player on the Albuquerque Dukes, will undergo the same procedure Tuesday.

Pitcher Ken Howell, who may have to undergo surgery on his right shoulder, missed an appointment with Dr. Frank Jobe Thursday. Howell, out for the season, also did not report to Dodger Stadium either Wednesday or Thursday. Fred Claire, Dodger vice president, said numerous attempts to reach Howell at his home have failed.

Steve Greenberg, Howell’s agent, could not be reached Thursday night.

“I’m a little concerned about not being able to find him,” Claire said. “The trainers have been calling him constantly. I don’t want to go beyond that by speculating further. As far as I know, he is here (in Los Angeles), somewhere. I’m sure we will reach him. Kenny knows what the situation is.”

Howell was one of many no-shows at Dodger Stadium this season.

For the first full season since 1979, the Dodgers did not hit the three-million mark in attendance. They drew 2,800,409 fans, a decrease of 222,799 from last season, when they drew 3,023,208.

The last time the Dodgers did not reach three million in attendance was in the strike-shortened 1981 season, when they drew 2,381,292.

“The goal has never been to draw three million,” Dodger owner Peter O’Malley said. “The goal has been to win. As you know, when you win and when your team on the field is competitive, the high attendance numbers follow.

“I understand the fans’ attitude right now, completely. . . . All fans in all cities want championship teams. They want the best. They spend their money wisely. Fans don’t want to waste money on a restaurant or a sports facility. They want quality. The fans who came this season, when they left the stadium, the team had lost rather than won more often. . . .”

Dodger Notes Peter O’Malley, the Dodgers’ owner, reconfirmed Thursday that his decision on the fate of Vice President Fred Claire and Manager Tom Lasorda, as well as other front-office decisions could happen any time during October. “I’m not locked into any timetable,” O’Malley said. “I can’t tell you an exact date. At the right time, the decision will be made. Today is the first day of October, but I can’t tell you whether it will be the first week, second or third week of October.” . . . Reliever Brad Havens is expected to spend about a week at the Arizona Instructional League, beginning Oct. 16, to work on developing a screwball under the guidance of minor league pitching instructor Jim Brewer.