Hershiser Calmly Provides Win as Dodgers Prepare for Storm

The Dodgers left the tranquillity of domed and docile Olympic Stadium late Sunday afternoon, after a 2-1 win over the Montreal Expos behind Orel Hershiser’s solid pitching, and brazenly crossed the border into the harsh milieu of New York City.

For the next three days, slugger Pedro Guerrero and his Dodger teammates figure to be subjected to acrimony from Met fans and perhaps even players in the wake of Guerrero’s four-game suspension for throwing his bat at pitcher David Cone last weekend in Los Angeles.

Guerrero, whose stiff neck Sunday forced him to miss Hershiser’s first win since May 4, steadfastly pronounced himself ready for any eventuality at Shea Stadium, where airplanes periodically roar overhead and, after last week’s developments, fans will likely roar derisively.

“I’m not afraid,” Guerrero said. “I’ve never been afraid of anybody, anytime in my life.

“The New York fans? I don’t know if they’re a problem. They won’t be as long as they don’t touch me. They’ve got a reputation for being bad. But I’m bad, too. If they touch me, watch out. I don’t care if they boo. I don’t care if they throw things.

“Now, when I’m on the street (in Manhattan), then it’s a different story. They better not hassle me.”

Even before Guerrero’s bat-throwing escapades, he had not been a popular player among New York fans. During the 1981 World Series, Guerrero had a bottle thrown at him in the outfield. “It scared me at first, when I saw that bottle flying past me,” Guerrero said. “As long as it doesn’t hit me, OK. They can throw beer on me. They can boo me. I’ve been booed in L.A., so who cares?”

The Dodgers will not face Cone in the series, but they will face Dwight Gooden, who began all the throwing-at-batter incidents by hitting Alfredo Griffin on the right hand a week ago Saturday. Gooden said it was accidental. So did Dodger pitcher Brian Holton after hitting Howard Johnson the next inning and drawing a warning from umpires. Then, there was Sunday’s near-brawl after Cone hit Guerrero.

“We have absolutely no bad feelings toward the Mets,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said. “There is no animosity. I haven’t heard one guy on this team say anything about the Mets. In fact, if I did hear it, I’d put a stop to it. If (players) want to be fighters, they should go to Madison Square Garden.”

Before heading to New York for what figures to be an interesting three days, the Dodgers had to tidy up some business in Canada, such as trying to win two of three games from the Expos.

Hershiser, who has allowed only 3 runs in his last 24 innings, took care of that with one of his better outings of the season. Although he gave up 9 hits, Hershiser struck out 7 and weathered a rough eighth inning to record his third complete game.

Dodger run production came in the form of bases-empty home runs by Kirk Gibson in the first inning and John Shelby in the fourth off loser John Dopson (1-2). It was Gibson’s eighth home run and Shelby’s first. But Shelby is the Dodgers’ hottest hitter, extending his hitting streak to 14 games.

A two-run lead seemed safe in Hershiser’s care until the eighth. A leadoff single by Jeff Reed began a rally that finally broke Hershiser’s bid for a second shutout. One out later, Tim Raines and Mitch Webster had singled to load the bases. Webster went 4 for 4 against Hershiser.

Hubie Brooks lifted a fly deep enough to left field to score Reed, cutting the Dodger lead to 2-1. Then, with a 2-and-1 count on Tim Wallach, Raines was caught stealing third on a close play. Umpire Bruce Froemming determined that third baseman Jeff Hamilton tagged Raines on the helmet before Raines’ outstretched arms touched the base.

So, a potential game-tying threat was averted. Then, it was up to Hershiser to try to avoid a similar Expo uprising in the ninth.

Hershiser didn’t need any special motivation in the ninth, but it was on his mind, anyway. Hershiser and Dodger teammates were aware that, on Saturday, Fernando Valenzuela had a one-run lead entering the ninth only to lose, 2-1.

“It would have been demoralizing for the team to have that happen again,” said Hershiser, who is 7-3. “When I was walking onto the field, a couple guys came up to me and said, ‘Let’s go.’ I just wanted to get the game over with.”

He did that, retiring the heart of the Expos’ order in order, sending the Dodgers on their way to New York with supreme confidence. After being swept by the Mets in three games last weekend, the Dodgers are 27-18 and lead the National League West.

Because the Dodgers lead the West and the Mets lead the East, the series between the teams figured to be interesting even without the Guerrero drama.

Some Dodgers tried to downplay the importance of beating the Mets, but others said they wanted to redeem themselves after last weekend’s sweep.

“You want to beat everybody,” Gibson said. “When it counts, that’s when you have to beat certain teams. Now, we just want to earn the right to play the other division winner, whether or not it’s the Mets.

“It’s too early in the season to get excited. We’ll approach this series like any other.”

On the other end of the spectrum was Guerrero, who said he cannot wait to get at the Mets. He said he does not want it to deteriorate into violence, but . . .

“I really want to play,” Guerrero said. “I don’t think my neck (injury) will be a problem. All I want to say (to the Mets) is, don’t hit me. I don’t care if they throw inside to me. But don’t hit me. I hate to get hit, and I won’t stand for it.”

Dodger Notes

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said he expects the umpiring crew for the Dodger-Met series to meet with him and Met Manager Davey Johnson before tonight’s series opener and officially warn them about throwing at hitters. “They should catch it before it starts this time,” Lasorda said. “I thought they should have warned us last weekend before that Sunday game.” . . . Dodger outfielder Mickey Hatcher said he also does not think bad feelings exist between the teams. “I can’t see something coming from that,” Hatcher said. “It was only one player they were mad at and would possibly retaliate against and that’s Pete Guerrero. If a few of us had been cocky and yelled, it would have been a different story.” . . . Dodger reliever Jesse Orosco said he does not feel any anxiety returning to New York for the first time since his off-season trade to the Dodgers. Orosco, to put it mildly, was not a favorite of many Met fans. Last season, he was routinely booed and subjected to death threats on two occasions. The abuse from Met fans became so severe, Orosco said, that his wife stopped attending games. Orosco, however, said he has remained cordial with many of his teammates, though he probably won’t be having lunch with Davey Johnson, whom Orosco blamed for lack of work last season. “I don’t think it’ll be a problem,” Orosco said. “It’ll be fun. Those were my fans before. It’ll be different to see me in a new uniform. I didn’t have much of a problem with the fans as much as with some articles that misquoted me and got the fans against me.” Asked what kind of reception he expects, Orosco said: “That is yet to be seen. We’ll find out tomorrow.” . . . Dodger trainers said Guerrero’s stiff neck, an injury that periodically bothers him, is not serious enough to keep him out of the New York series. “Pete has trouble moving it to the left side, which is a problem hitting,” assistant trainer Charlie Strasser said. “It could be caused by a lot of things. A different bed. Different pillows. Sleeping wrong. There are different ways. He doesn’t know how he did it.” . . . Because of a shoulder injury to bullpen coach Mark Cresse, Dodger publicity director Mike Williams pitched batting practice Sunday. Williams, a former infielder for Claremont-Mudd College, pitched while wearing a suit and tie. “It was formal b.p.,” Williams said.