Dodgers Find an Oasis in Midst of Dry Season

The Cure will arrive at Dodger Stadium in less than two weeks.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers, though, it’s not the cure for a season that has made their fans sick, but rather an English gloom-and-doom rock band that will play a concert in the stadium on Sept. 8.

Appropriately enough, The Cure’s latest album is called “Disintegration,” a subject the defending world champions seem to have mastered.

On Sunday, though, the Dodgers gave a pretty fair account of themselves, rolling over the even-worse Philadelphia Phillies, 8-1, behind Fernando Valenzuela, who won for the fourth time in his last five starts.

The Phillies scored their only run when Valenzuela balked with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. Valenzuela (9-12) allowed six hits while walking two and striking out five in seven innings.

The Dodgers entertained a crowd of 28,496 by collecting a dozen hits, including two each by Eddie Murray, Jeff Hamilton, Dave Anderson and Mike Scioscia, whose two-run home run in the second inning gave the ever-improving Valenzuela a 3-0 lead.

“We’re going to go as far as our offense takes us,” said Scioscia, perhaps not realizing the irony of his comment.

Their offense has taken the Dodgers into fifth place.

Valenzuela has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 14 of his last 15 starts, posting an earned-run average of 2.58, and yet the veteran left-hander is only 8-7 in that stretch.

He was in command against the Phillies, retiring the first 11 batters he faced before giving up a fourth-inning double to Von Hayes.

Obviously, he has come a long way since the first week in June, when he was 0-5 and hadn’t won in almost a year.

At the time, it was said that he might be finished.

Scioscia, though, told anybody who would listen that the former Cy Young Award winner would return to form.

What made him so confident?

“I saw his arm getting stronger every time he pitched--that was part of it--but I think you have to look at Fernando’s whole makeup,” Scioscia said. “He’s very intelligent, he can adjust and he’s the type of guy who will put in the time it takes to improve.

“He’s going to go out there and pitch when he doesn’t have his best stuff. He’s going to go out there and work hard and work through some tough times. That’s the only way you’re going to grow, and I felt it was just a matter of time with Fernando, and I still think it’s a matter of time.

“It’s not like, ‘OK, he’s back. This is it.’ I think he’s going to continue to improve and continue to be a much more efficient pitcher.

“I really feel he has a lot of pitching left in his arm and he’s going to be just as consistent a winner in the future as he was in the past.”

The Dodgers made him a winner Sunday by battering three Phillie pitchers, including starter Don Carman, who beat the Dodgers Aug. 16 at Philadelphia.

Anderson, who made his first start since July 27, had two run-scoring singles and pinch-hitter Lenny Harris, batting for Valenzuela in the seventh, had a two-run single that ended the scoring.

How bad are the Phillies?

Carman (4-14) was relieved by Larry McWilliams (2-11).

Valenzuela, who probably wouldn’t have been taken out of the game if the score had been closer, was asked about his improved control.

“Staying ahead of the hitters is pretty good for any pitcher,” said Valenzuela, who noted that he is using his curveball more frequently and is using a cut fastball more often against right-handed batters.

Anything he can do now that he couldn’t do in April?

“Throw more strikes,” he said.

Alejandro Pena worked the last two innings for the Dodgers.

Dodger Notes

Outfielder Mike Huff broke a bone in his right wrist in a collision at first base Friday night in his first game after being demoted to the Dodgers’ triple-A affiliate at Albuquerque, N.M. Huff, who was sent down to make room on the roster for John Shelby, will miss the rest of the season. . . . Mike Marshall, who injured his left thigh while attempting to break up a double play last Monday night at Montreal, made his first start in five games. . . . The Dodgers are 43-10 in games in which they’ve scored at least four runs. . . . If not for the Atlanta Braves, who are 52-78, the Phillies (52-77) would have the worst record in the National League.

DODGER ATTENDANCE Sunday 28,496 1989 (62 dates) 2,398,655 1988 (62 dates) 2,368,780 Increase 29,875 1989 average per date 38,688