Dodgers Get Mad, Get Even With Browning, 8-2 : Valenzuela Stops Reds on Six Hits for 10th Victory

As the Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds warmed up Thursday, the word on everybody’s mind was perfect.

The Reds’ pitcher was Tom Browning, who last September pitched a perfect game against the Dodgers. Lately, he had been approaching perfection, with an eight-game win streak and a 1.72 earned-run average during that span.

So what happened? Considering the kind of summer that these two teams have endured, it was perfect.

Browning was shelled, allowing seven runs in three innings. Then Browning was mad, cursing Alfredo Griffin as he was scoring on Eddie Murray’s three-run homer in the fourth. Then Griffin was mad and had to be restrained from chasing Browning.

Finally, after the Dodgers finished an 8-2 victory, Browning hinted that Griffin may have stolen catcher Joe Oliver’s signs while standing on second base before Murray’s homer. And now Griffin was really mad.

Said Browning: “The thought (of stealing signs) crossed my mind.”

Countered Griffin: “I wish I could steal signs, I would be a genius. Why can’t a man just admit that he had a bad night? I go oh-for-five last night, you didn’t see me yelling. To hell with that man.”

Who says September is only fun for winners?

Before a crowd of 15,044 at Riverfront Stadium, Fernando Valenzuela threw a six-hitter for his third complete game; Willie Randolph hit his second home run of the year, and Jose Gonzalez and Murray broke out of slumps with three hits each.

But all was lost in the mess created by Browning’s long fall to earth.

Asked Griffin: “Just who does Browning think he is?”

For starters, he was 15-10 with a 3.03 earned-run average, but the Dodgers got to him early.

After Griffin popped out to first base to start the game, Randolph homered to left field.

“If we’re stealing signs, then who was on second base stealing them when Randolph was batting?” Griffin asked. “I ask you? What caused that?”

The Dodgers got three more runs in the second inning, on RBI singles by Rick Dempsey and Randolph, and a bouncing RBI double just over third base by Griffin.

Remember that last hit.

In the fourth inning, after Murray followed singles by Griffin and Randolph with his 16th homer, Browning met Griffin as he was rounding third base.

According to one player, Browning cursed and said, “Nice chink hit. Next time, I’m going to hit you.”

Upon hearing this, Griffin said he replied, “What are you talking about?”

Griffin said Browning responded, “You, I’m going to get you.”

By this time, Griffin had crossed the plate. He turned, ran up the baseline past a jogging Murray and, with arms furiously waving, tried to reach Browning. Plate umpire Steve Rippley jumped in his way as a couple of Dodgers came off the bench to help keep Griffin and Browning apart.

Browning was removed from the game, having allowed 11 hits and more runs than in his previous five starts combined. Afterward, he wasn’t just sore, but apologetic.

“I was so mad after giving up that home run, he was the first guy I saw. I just felt like yelling at him,” Browning said. “I don’t hold anything against him. He’s a good competitor.”

The accusation that Griffin stole the sign on Murray’s homer came from Red Manager Tommy Helms.

“Somebody on the bench was saying that Griffin was giving Murray the signs from second base, and I think that’s what Tom was mad about,” Helms said.

Said Dempsey: “If we’re stealing signs, we sure aren’t doing a very good job of it. I think Browning should just probably admit it was not one of his better nights.”

Randolph had three hits to make him 10 for 18 in the first four games of this seven-game trip and raise his average to .283.

Valenzuela (10-12), who won for the fourth time in six starts, has allowed three or fewer earned runs in 16 of his last 17 starts.

Dodger Notes

Because of an airport curfew at Lindbergh Field in San Diego, the Dodgers had to wait until 10 a.m. this morning to fly out of Cincinnati. . . . Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda has taken a personal hand in the grooming of rookie pitcher Ramon Martinez. During Martinez’s between-starts throwing session Thursday, Lasorda was in the bullpen with pitching coach Ron Perranoski working on the rotation of Martinez’s curveball. “The way he throws the ball, he should have an outstanding curve,” Lasorda said. “He throws it hard already, but he still has to learn the proper rotation. When he does that, watch out. I guarantee, he’s going to be a good one.” Martinez, 3-3 with a 3.54 earned-run average, is coming off one of his best starts of the season, allowing Houston one run in seven innings Tuesday night. He will start again Sunday in San Diego, facing the Padres for the first time. . . . Eddie Murray’s seventh-inning walk Thursday was his 82nd. He ranks fifth in the league.