Howell Slips One by Clark : Strikeout in 8th Saves 4-0 Win for Dodgers, Fernando

Had this situation arisen across the bay in Oakland, scene of many highs and lows of Jay Howell’s pitching career, perhaps he would have noticed the irony and gladly embraced it upon reflection.

But this is a new season, and Howell is with a new team in a new league, so he said he pushed aside all external thoughts to concentrate on a late-inning predicament that threatened the Dodgers’ previously cushy 4-0 lead over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

The Dodgers summoned Howell, the right-handed short reliever obtained from Oakland over the winter, to face slugger Will Clark with two out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Candlestick Park crowd of 39,092 was standing and yelling during the showdown, not unlike the abuse to which Howell was regularly subjected from home fans in Oakland last season.

Seemingly oblivious to everything but Clark, pinch-hitting for Candy Maldonado, Howell threw an assortment of off-speed pitches to run the count to 3-and-2. With the crowd screaming and the runners going, Howell struck out Clark on a drooping slider to end the threat and silence the masses.

After easily dismissing the Giants in the anticlimactic ninth, Howell earned his first Dodger save in a 4-0 win. It also preserved the win for Fernando Valenzuela (2-2), who pitched a masterful seven innings before tiring in the eighth, and improved the Dodgers’ record to 11-4. They are in first place in the National League West, two games ahead of Houston.

They could not have done it Sunday without the hitting of catcher Mike Scioscia, who had two hits and three runs batted in, the pitching of Valenzuela, who had nine days of rest because of the rash of rainouts last week, or Howell’s inspired effort.

“Now that is Jay Howell,” said Dodger outfielder Mike Davis, a teammate of Howell’s in Oakland.

Although Howell is well known in Oakland--he was booed by his home fans at the All-Star game last season despite 15 saves at the break--the Dodgers have yet to see much of him this season for various reasons. Coming off winter surgery to remove bone spurs in his right elbow, Howell was limited to 9 innings of work in the spring. And, because of strong starting pitching and four early-season rainouts, Howell mostly had been confined to the bullpen.

But Sunday, in his first save National League opportunity, Howell did not disappoint.

“(Clark) is a great hitter and we just weren’t going to give him any fastballs to hit,” Howell said. “I know me and Scioscia figured it wouldn’t even hurt if we walked him, rather than let him hit.”

Clark, held out of the Giants’ lineup Sunday because of food poisoning, said he felt weak and dehydrated when hitting in the eighth. Clark’s condition and Howell’s impressive choice and placement of pitches ensured the Dodgers’ third straight win.

“He threw me six breaking balls,” Clark said. “They were hellacious pitches.”

Clark meant that as a compliment, so Howell accepted it. Howell also accepted platitudes from pitching coach Ron Perranoski and Manager Tom Lasorda. But he would not accept the theory that Sunday’s effort was some form of payback to Bay Area fans after enduring considerable abuse.

“I was just glad to be able to go in in that type of situation,” Howell said. “I didn’t have the time or really wanted to think about that other stuff. It’s the Giants I faced (not the A’s). That’s over, as far as I’m concerned.”

Added Davis, a first-hand witness to Howell’s troubles with the A’s: “If he had done it in Oakland, it would have been awesome.

“But it doesn’t matter where he did it. It shows he’s a very good reliever. He’s got that breaking ball to go with that 90 mile-per-hour fastball. It was good for him today, a good confidence builder.”

Lasorda, conversely, said it was a confidence builder for the manager. “I have confidence to bring him in in any situation,” Lasorda said. “Not many pitchers could’ve made a 3-and-2 pitch like that.”

Lasorda’s move of replacing Valenzuela with Howell was another example the difference between the 1988 Dodgers and the shaky clubs of the last two seasons. Even Lasorda admitted that, last season, he probably would let Valenzuela pitch to Maldonado, who has a .392 career average against him.

“(Lasorda) does stay with Freddy longer than other pitchers,” Howell said. “He was pitching a shutout, and we all know Freddy likes to finish games. I just got myself ready if they were going to call on me.”

The call came after Valenzuela walked Jeffrey Leonard on four consecutive misguided screwballs. Even Valenzuela could see the change coming.

“I was losing control of the screwball a little on that last hitter,” Valenzuela said. “Maybe that’s why they did it (replaced him). But I felt strong today. The (9-day) rest didn’t bother me. Still pitch the same.”

If anything, the extended rest helped Valenzuela. He threw 97 pitches over 7 innings, extremely low compared to other comparable starts. Valenzuela walked three, struck out three and allowed five singles--three to Giant shortstop Jose Uribe.

Before the eighth, Valenzuela ran into only two problematic innings, and worked out of each.

With two out in the third and Uribe on second, Valenzuela was called for a balk on a pitch that Brett Butler popped to shallow left field for what appeared to be the third out. Uribe moved to third base on the balk and, one pitch later, Butler walked. But Valenzuela got Kevin Mitchell to pop out to second.

In the fifth, Uribe singled and tried to score from first base on pitcher Mike LaCoss’ single to center field. An alert Alfredo Griffin, fielding the cutoff throw from Davis noticed Uribe’s daring attempt and threw him out at home plate, Scioscia blocking the plate with his customary expertise.

It was another good day on the other side of the plate for Scioscia. His two singles, accounting for three runs, improved his batting average to .474. He is 5 of 8 with runners in scoring position.

So far in the early season, almost everything seems to be falling into place for the Dodgers. Their hitting still is lagging behind, but their starting pitching has been solid and, at least Sunday, the bullpen proved sound.

“I don’t want to say yet we have the best bullpen,” Valenzuela said. “Everybody’s human and makes mistakes. But I hope they still keep doing what they have been doing.”

Dodger Notes

Pedro Guerrero fouled a ball off his left shin in the eighth inning and, after flying out to center, was replaced by Jeff Hamilton at third base. Guerrero had a noticeable limp, but trainer Bill Buhler said he does not believe it serious. Buhler said Guerrero recently fouled a ball off the same shin. “I’m trying to get him to wear a shin guard,” Buhler said. “I hope he does.” . . . Dodger regulars, excluding injured center fielder John Shelby, are hitting .457 with runners in scoring position. Said Mike Scioscia of his clutch hitting: “Hitting in the eighth spot, I’m not going to get a lot of pitches to hit with runners on, so I got to be more patient and selective,” Scioscia said. “This is a new role for me.” . . . Mike Davis went 0 for 3 Sunday, lowering his average to .192. “I’m a little frustrated,” Davis said. “I feel fine at the plate, but . . . Maybe I’m overswinging. But I think I’m close to getting my stuff together, then I can roll with the rest of the guys. If I wasn’t any good, I wouldn’t be worried about why I’m not hitting.” . . . The Dodgers are off today and open a nine-game homestand against the Chicago Cubs Tuesday night.