Dodgers Steam Past the Astros, 6-0 : Belcher Throws Temper Tantrum and Shutout in Astrodome

Tim Belcher’s temper finally got the best of someone else. Slapping at the ball, yelling at himself, glowering at everyone else, Belcher had a three-hour tantrum at the expense of the Houston Astros Tuesday.

The result was the Dodgers’ 6-0 victory, in which Belcher gave up five hits and struck out nine before 28,910 at the Astrodome.

It was Belcher’s fourth shutout this season, tying teammate Orel Hershiser for the league lead. And it was the first time in 56 games the Astros had been shut out in the Astrodome.

The Dodgers were the last team to do it, on Sept. 20, 1988 when Belcher won, 6-0.

“Is that right?” Belcher asked. “In this big ballpark? No offense to their offense, but I find that hard to believe.”

Which is just how the Astros found Belcher’s performance. With seven victories in their last 10 games, a streak that had pulled them to within two games of the first-place San Francisco Giants in the West, the Astros were not prepared for Belcher.

He walked five, and 10 runners reached base. Although none scored, Belcher continued to brood.

“That’s how I pump myself up,” Belcher said. “I’ll scream at myself, I’ll get mad at myself. I give up a hit and I yell the unprintable. I’ll curse myself. I call myself stupid.

“Then I’ll get back on the mound, take a deep breath, and go after them.”

Belcher worries about how it appears.

“People who don’t know, they see me give up a little two-out single and then scream at myself and they think, ‘He’s losing his mind,’ ” said Belcher, who improved to 7-9 with a 3.25 ERA. “But that’s me. That’s how I stay on the beam.”

Better this than yelling at teammates, or throwing bats, or lunging after umpires in dugouts at 1 a.m. Belcher has done that this season, too.

“We have been working on that,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said. “He has to understand that his job is to pitch and that, if he loses one batter, he can’t do anything about it but go after that next guy. He’s actually a hell of a lot better with this than he used to be.”

And really, who is Lasorda to complain? Wasn’t Lasorda once a pitcher like that?

“Yeah, I was like that, but that don’t make it right,” Lasorda said. “I want these guys to do as I say, don’t do as I do.”

A different sort of anger helped support Belcher Tuesday. The Dodgers broke a scoreless tie against Astro starter and loser Rick Rhoden in the sixth inning after Jeff Hamilton singled in a run and then Mike Scioscia got insulted. With runners on first and third, Scioscia asked home plate umpire Frank Pulli if he could inspect a ball Rhoden had just thrown. Pulli began yelling at Scioscia, and then at Lasorda, who had come from the dugout.

“He didn’t want to show me the ball, and he got his blood pressure up,” Scioscia said. “He blew a fuse, he went off, it was very unprofessional on his part.”

Scioscia calmly stepped back into the batter’s box and, on the next pitch, looped a ball into center field to score another run. The Dodgers added four more runs in the ninth on run-scoring singles by Lenny Harris and Jose Gonzalez and a pinch-hit two-run double by Mickey Hatcher.

That was more than enough for Belcher, who got out of jams with key strikeouts against a team averaging only five strikeouts a game.

“With teams like this, strikeouts are more gratifying,” Belcher said. “Especially in big situations.”

Such as:

In the second inning, Rafael Ramirez doubled to left and moved to third on a grounder, but was stranded when Belcher struck out Gerald Young.

Belcher loaded the bases in the third, giving up a double to Rhoden and walking two. But he struck out Terry Puhl and got Ken Caminiti on a grounder. Another runner reached third in the fifth, but Belcher stranded Billy Hatcher by striking out Bill Doran.

His big inning was the seventh, when Belcher gave up a leadoff single to Craig Reynolds and walked Young. Out ran pitching coach Ron Perranoski, who lectured Belcher.

“He told me I was pitching like him,” Belcher said.

Houston Manager Art Howe then brought sore-footed Glenn Davis to the plate as a pinch-hitter. He was one for 12 lifetime as a pinch-hitter and didn’t start the game after fouling a ball off his foot Sunday.

Belcher struck him out on three pitches. Belcher then struck out Hatcher. After walking Craig Biggio, he got Doran on a popout to end the Astros’ final threat. Walking to the dugout, Belcher appeared to be growling.

“Any lapse in concentration up here will kill you,” Belcher said. “I’m like this because I have to be like this.”

Dodger Notes

Alfredo Griffin missed Tuesday’s game with a sore right thumb that will be X-rayed and examined today by Dr. Bruce Mosely. He missed 13 games earlier this season because of the thumb.

In a move that is expected to become official today, the Dodgers sent starter Mike Morgan to the bullpen and moved rookie John Wetteland to the rotation. Morgan will be in the bullpen today after resting a sore left ankle Tuesday. Wetteland will probably start Saturday at San Diego. After giving up more than two runs only twice in his first 16 starts, Morgan gave up at least three runs in his last three starts, going 0-3 with a 10.50 ERA. The Dodgers think his pitches have lost velocity and movement since he led the National League in ERA earlier this season. They want to consider making Wetteland a permanent starter. Wetteland gave up one run on three hits in 6 2/3 innings Sunday against Pittsburgh. In his two starts this season, Wetteland is 1-0, giving up three runs on five hits in 11 2/3 innings.

Dodger pitcher Tim Crews called Pittsburgh’s Gary Redus to apologize a day after hitting Redus in the face with a fastball. Redus, who was released from Allegheny General Hospital early Tuesday morning with a bruised cheekbone, accepted the apology. Said Crews: “He told me he was glad I called. I told him I didn’t throw it intentionally. He said he knew that. He said there were no hard feelings. I said great.” Redus will be examined by an eye specialist today and could be placed on the disabled list.

Dave Anderson got his 22nd start of the season Tuesday, and his first since July 9. Last season, Anderson started 79 games because of injuries. “I can’t complain because both Alfredo (Griffin) and Willie (Randolph) have been doing a great job,” said Anderson, who started at second base. “But nothing is harder than pinch-hitting. It’s no fun.” Anderson is 0 for 12 as a pinch-hitter. . . . Mike Marshall, who missed Tuesday’s game with a sore back, is expected to return today. . . Houston Astro outfielder Kevin Bass is expected to begin rehabilitation of a broken left leg in Tucson this week. He could return by Aug. 1. Bass is hitting .290 with 21 RBIs in 47 games this season. . . . The Astros are wearing black armbands on their left sleeve in memory of Vivian Smith, a minority owner who died two weeks ago.