Dodgers Get Needed Relief From Starter Martinez, 3-2

On a night when the Dodgers needed a lift, right-hander Ramon Martinez rebounded from a battering his last time out to beat the Montreal Expos, 3-2, Tuesday.

Martinez, who was beaten, 8-2, last week at Montreal, improved to 3-2 before a Dodger Stadium crowd of 24,208.

His five-hit, 10-strikeout performance in seven innings was the only constant in a game in which the Dodgers won their second in a row despite stranding 10 runners, including three at third, and having another thrown out rounding the bag.

The game also was enlivened by Juan Samuel’s Dodger debut at second base; he made errors on his first two chances.

Single runs by the Dodgers in the first--on Kal Daniels’ fifth home run--second and sixth innings helped the Dodgers defeat Dennis Martinez (3-3).

Daniels, who entered the game in a three-for-29 slump, also had a double. Hubie Brooks, who had gone 0 for 15, singled and scored on Mike Scioscia’s sacrifice fly in the second, and tripled in what proved to be the decisive run in the sixth.

Daniels’ homer came on a 3-and-2 pitch after Martinez got two strikes on him. “I took him to 3-and-2 and he tried to get in with a curve,” Daniels said. “Ramon took it from there.”

Ramon Martinez, mixing an effective curveball with his fastball, held the Expos hitless through three innings. He struck out seven in five innings before Montreal broke through for a run in the sixth. The Expos had runners on second and third with none out in the seventh, but Martinez then struck out the next three batters.

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said that is why Martinez was lifted: “He let it all hang out (in the seventh). I thought he pitched a hell of a game. You saw what he did--men on second and third and no outs.”

Then the Dodger bullpen made things interesting in the eighth inning. Mike Munoz got an out, then gave way to Don Aase. He gave up a single to Marquis Grissom, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Aase walked Tim Raines and gave up a run-scoring single to Andres Galarraga.

Tim Crews came in and got Tim Wallach to hit into a double play, one of several fine fielding plays turned in by Alfredo Griffin at short and Lenny Harris at third. Crews worked an uneventful ninth to earn his second save.

“I felt I had good command. Everything stayed down--my split-finger, my sliders. I like this (save) situation,” Crews said.

The Dodgers, who lost the last six games of their Eastern trip last week including three in a row at Montreal, have the chance to reverse roles tonight.

“The road trip was a nightmare,” Daniels said. “Now we can try to sweep the Expos and return the favor.”

Dodger Notes

Outfielder Kirk Gibson took batting practice, ran and threw for the second consecutive day with impressive results. He hit several balls into the bleachers. Batting Coach Ben Hines said Gibson had more quality swings than on Monday. . . . Newest Dodger Stan Javier made his National League debut Tuesday, starting in center field and batting second. . . . Juan Samuel started at second base for the first time this season. Samuel mishandled his first chance Tuesday, dropping Tim Wallach’s bloop into short right field for an error. Samuel entered Tuesday’s game tied for the league lead with 17 stolen bases. No Dodger stole more than 12 in 1989.

Don Aase’s save Monday was the first for the Dodger bullpen since April 18. . . . Expo outfielder Tim Raines began Tuesday’s game needing one stolen base for 600 in his career. He is ninth all-time, having passed Maury Wills (586) in mid-April. Raines is still at 599.

Pitcher Bill Bene, the Dodgers’ No. 1 draft choice in June of 1988, was put on the disabled list with a sore shoulder. Bene, pitching for Class-A Vero Beach, has a 1-3 record with 37 walks in 27 innings. . . . Disabled pitcher Pat Perry is scheduled to throw tonight for Class-A Bakersfield.