Dodgers’ Win Is a First for Martinez, 2-1

Dodger pitcher Ramon Martinez almost had resigned himself to another impressive no-decision as he settled into the dugout during the eighth inning Monday night.

Chances of a Dodger rally to break a 1-1 tie with the Montreal Expos appeared bleak, what with one out already, slumping Alfredo Griffin at the plate and Danny Heep on deck to hit for Martinez.

“I was hoping maybe they score, and it (would) work out,” Martinez said. “It (hasn’t been) too easy for me.”

But just before all hope was lost of Martinez earning his first major league victory, a most improbable thing happened. The light-hitting Griffin, who had failed to lay down a decent bunt in his previous at-bat, lined Dennis Martinez’s fastball over the right-field fence for his first home run as a Dodger.

So, after Jay Howell shut down the Expos over the final two innings for his 17th save, the Dodgers pulled out a 2-1 win to extend their winning streak to four games and their lead in the National League West to 6 1/2 games over the second-place Houston Astros.

This victory, which puts the Dodgers 22 games over .500, may be remembered for some time. Not only was the game decided by a prodigious home run from a shortstop hitting .166, but it also gave the 20-year-old Ramon Martinez proof that he can win in the major leagues.

In his previous outing, Martinez had allowed three runs in 4 innings in a loss to the New York Mets. However, in his two starts before that, he had given up only two runs in 14 innings, yet he had insufficient offensive support to earn a victory. In his 26 innings pitched in the major leagues, spanning four starts, the Dodgers have totaled just four runs.

“The guy pitched three outstanding games and he had nothing to show for it,” Manager Tom Lasorda said. “It’s like playing poker all night and breaking even. It’s like winking at a girl in the dark. What good does it do you? Nothing.”

Montreal’s Martinez (15-10) has even less than the Dodgers’ Martinez to show for a solid complete-game effort. In Dennis Martinez’s three starts against the Dodgers, spanning 23 innings, his teammates have scored only one run.

However, the Dodgers, who often have struggled to manufacture runs, didn’t send the Expos any sympathy cards.

“Yes it makes me work hard, real hard,” said Ramon Martinez in his first postgame all-English interview. “The game was close, and I was hoping they make some runs before I leave. When the team scores a lot of runs, it makes you feel comfortable.”

At least, that’s what Martinez has been told. Before Griffin’s home run it appeared as if the rookie from the Dominican Republic would have to pitch a shutout to win. Martinez allowed only an unearned run in the fourth inning and left after the seventh inning, having yielded seven hits and one walk and struck out five.

That did not appear to be good enough, though, since the Dodgers managed only a fourth-inning solo home run by first baseman Franklin Stubbs off Dennis Martinez (no relation to Ramon).

Then came Griffin’s home run, his first in 223 at-bats this season. He lined a fastball just inside the right-field foul pole, 325 feet from home plate.

“I just told Griffin they confiscated his bat looking for cork,” Lasorda said, laughing. “I mean, he hit a line shot. You know, that ball never went up or down. It went straight over the fence. It only cleared it by this much (about a foot). He jumped on both feet to hit that ball. He really did.”

Lasorda, caught up in the moment, perhaps exaggerated a tad. But Griffin was as surprised and pleased as anyone to provide the winning run and break out of a 1-for-22 slump.

“I wasn’t thinking home run,” said Griffin, stating the obvious. “I’m struggling. I’ve tried a lot of different things that haven’t worked. But I never give up. We still got a month to go, so maybe I’ll do better. I’m not saying I’ll hit .300, but maybe .200.”

Because of his dormant bat, Griffin is starting only against right-handers, and Dave Anderson plays shortstop against left-handers.

In his previous at-bat before the home run, Griffin was put out on a poor bunt attempt.

“I don’t think anyone in the league is a better bunter than I am, but I couldn’t even do that right,” Griffin said. “But then I hit the home run. It was a weird night.”

Not so for Dodger pitching, which has been carrying the club most of the season.

Martinez, adding a restructured curveball to his pitching repertoire, kept the Expos off-balance most of the night. He ran into a few problems but worked out of them. The unearned run he allowed in the fourth scored after three ground balls were hit to the hole between third base and shortstop--two for infield singles and the other a fielder’s choice and error on third baseman Tracy Woodson.

“This guy’s got his head in the game and isn’t afraid to make the pitches,” catcher Mike Scioscia said. “I tell you what, you can sum up his game that time in the seventh inning when he went 3-and-0 to (Rex) Hudler and comes back with two fastballs for strikes. Then I put down a changeup and he doesn’t even blink. It was already in his mind. He throws a great change and strikes the guy out.”

Actually, the excellent changeup wasn’t the only positive for Martinez. Pitching coach Ron Perranoski, believing that Martinez needed an improved curveball to be successful, worked last week on changing his delivery on the pitch. The change apparently worked, because Martinez threw about a dozen curveballs, many for strikes.

“It’s coming around good,” Perranoski said. “It’s going to be OK, but he still will rely more on that moving fastball and the changeup. The rotation (on the curveball) is there. It’s just a matter of him being comfortable with it.”

Once the Dodgers got the lead, they were comfortable turning it over to Howell. He faced seven batters and gave up only an infield single. In his last 12 innings, Howell has not allowed a run.

“The big thing is that I’ve cut down on my walks, and I feel stronger now than earlier in the season because of the program the trainers have me on,” Howell said. “Plus, they hit some balls at guys tonight. I got some luck. You need that, too.”

No one has to tell that to Martinez or Griffin.

Dodger Notes

Mike Marshall, who strained a quadriceps muscle Sunday in Philadelphia, was examined by a physician in Montreal Monday and is undergoing treatment. Bill Buhler, the Dodgers’ trainer, said Marshall is day-to-day. “We’re hoping to get him back in a couple of days,” Buhler said. “If things go well, we’ll try him playing at first base during batting practice, if he can do it without pain. He could pinch-hit now, if the situation came up. He’d just have problems running.” Marshall, however, said he has no idea when he will be able to play. He also said that he most likely would reject the idea of working out at first base, because he believes it would cause as much aggravation to his quadriceps as if he were playing right field. Marshall was angered when reporters told him that Buhler said he hoped he would return to the lineup in a few days. “There’s a chance I’ll be back tomorrow,” Marshall said. “There’s a possibility I might not play for two weeks. I don’t know how bad I pulled it. I don’t know how anyone can make that statement that I’ll be back in a few days. Then you guys will write that in the newspaper, and if I don’t come back in a few days, everybody will be wondering why not. That’s what happened to me the last two years.”

Franklin Stubbs continued his hot hitting with the fourth-inning home run Monday night. Stubbs is 8 for 17 in the last seven games, having recently altered his batting stance. Stubbs, however, said the stance isn’t the only reason he is hitting better. “I’ve been getting the playing time to prove myself, too,” he said. “You need to play to hit.” . . . Officials at baseball’s Hall of Fame have asked for the cap that Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda wore Saturday night when he won his 1,000th game as a major league manager. Lasorda will comply. . . . Fernando Valenzuela, who has been on the disabled list since July 31 with a left shoulder injury, threw for 20 minutes from 90 feet before Monday night’s game. Buhler said Valenzuela merely “tossed” the ball. . . . Kirk Gibson was treated before Monday night’s game for a nagging left shoulder injury, but he was in the lineup. Gibson went 0 for 4 Monday and is 2 for 13 through the first four games of the trip. He recently said that the bursitis in his shoulder hampers his hitting.