What, Griffin Worry? Not in 6-3 Victory for Dodgers

It was noon, an hour before the start of the Dodgers’ 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies Sunday, but one Dodger still had not arrived at the stadium.

Considering he played all 11 innings of Saturday night’s crushing 15-12 Dodger defeat, a friend was worried.

“Where is Alfredo?” Juan Samuel asked, referring to shortstop Alfredo Griffin. “I think I will call him.”

A few minutes later, Griffin strolled into the clubhouse. Wearing jeans and a T-shirt and a smile, it looked as if he had just returned from a vacation.

“I want to forget about Saturday’s game, so today I decide to worry about nothing,” Griffin said. “No batting practice, no extra work. I just come here, put on a uniform and swing the bat.”

He will not do the same thing tonight, because he will not want to forget Sunday’s game.

Griffin had a two-run single in the fourth inning that gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead they later expanded into the victory before 45,770 at Dodger Stadium.

He also had a second-inning single, scored a sixth-inning run and had a relaxed posture that was catchy.

Starting pitcher Ramon Martinez, knowing the Dodger bullpen had been depleted Saturday night, survived seven innings even though he needed 124 pitches to do it. Reliever Mike Hartley, knowing a good performance could keep him on the team when two injured relievers return next week, pitched two scoreless innings for his first major league save.

The victory wasn’t this season’s most exciting. But coming less than 16 hours after Saturday’s bad dream, it may have been the most important.

Not only did the Dodgers improve to 5-1 on this home stand and move back within 7 1/2 games of first-place Cincinnati in the National League West, they also realized that one bad loss doesn’t always portend two or three more.

“To win four in a row and then lose like we lost on Saturday, that game was like losing four straight in one night,” pitcher Tim Belcher said before Sunday’s game. “Those losses can get to you real easily.”

So the Dodgers made it hard on both the Phillies and fate by scoring a run before the game was 15 minutes old.

Mike Sharperson, batting .344 and playing second base for the benched Juan Samuel, hit a one-out double off Phillies’ starting pitcher Pat Combs. Kal Daniels walked, and Eddie Murray doubled to right, driving in Sharperson.

Philadelphia tied the game, 1-1, in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Ricky Jordan. The Phillies loaded the bases before Martinez struck out Charlie Hayes and retired Dickie Thon on a popout.

That set the stage for Griffin.

Hubie Brooks doubled, Mickey Hatcher walked and Mike Scioscia singled to open the Dodger fourth. Griffin strolled to the plate as he had earlier strolled into the clubhouse. He took a couple of practice swings, found an outside pitch he liked and chopped it into right field to score two runs.

Since becoming a Dodger in 1988, Griffin has nine hits in 18 bases-loaded situations, with 27 RBIs. In his career, he has 16 hits in 33 bases-loaded situations.

The reason? Need you ask?

“With bases loaded, I don’t worry,” Griffin said. “I figure, the pitcher has to be afraid of me, because if he doesn’t get me, he’ll get in an even worse jam. In that situation, the pitcher, he is the one who should worry.”

The Dodgers scored three unearned runs in the sixth inning following Thon’s throwing error, and the Phillies countered with two in the seventh against a tiring Martinez.

Hartley was the only reliever unscathed amid Saturday’s two blown leads, perhaps because he faced just two batters.

“It’s funny, but I relaxed,” he said. “Before, when I would look around the stadium, I could see those people sitting in the upper deck looking down on me, and it would feel like a very big place, very uncomfortable.

“But not today. It felt like I was used to it. It was, like, ‘I’ve done this before.’ ”

That’s as good a reason as any why, after allowing runners in the eighth inning on a two-out walk to John Kruk and a bunt single by Charlie Hayes, he struck out Thon. And that could explain why, after walking Lenny Dykstra with two outs in the ninth, Hartley struck out Rod Booker looking on a dipping split-finger fastball to end the game.

Dodger Notes

Pat Perry and Jim Gott were both impressive Sunday in what is likely their final rehabilitation assignments. Perry threw about 40 pitches in a simulated game and showed enough velocity that, if his shoulder feels good, he will probably be activated following today’s game with the New York Mets. Gott pitched four good innings for Class-A Bakersfield in Stockton, giving up one run on four hits with nine strikeouts. After several days of rest, he should also be ready to join the active roster Friday in St. Louis, at the latest. The two leading candidates to be reassigned, judging from their recent use, are Don Aase and Mike Maddux. Mike Hartley apparently saved himself a spot on the roster with his save against Philadelphia Sunday. Tim Crews, who has struggled in save situations and has a 4.70 ERA in 14 appearances, is still valued as a middle reliever.

Juan Samuel, batting .190 after going one for his last 28, was benched for a second time Sunday. But this time it will probably be for more than just one game. “I know I don’t deserve to be in the lineup,” he said. “I know I should not be out there the way I am swinging.” Alfredo Griffin said Samuel is having difficulty with the recent switch to second base. “A couple of years ago, he is moved from second base to the outfield and he is all mixed up,” Griffin said. “Now he is moved back, and he is all mixed up in the head again. He needs to stay in one place and have time to get adjusted to that place. He will be fine at second base because it is his home, but it will take time.” Look for Mike Sharperson and Lenny Harris to rotate not just at third base, but also at second base.

Ramon Martinez allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings Sunday while improving to 4-2. But he was more impressed that he was able to stay awake, as he was summoned out of his bedclothes around 11:30 p.m. Saturday night to return to Dodger Stadium in case he was needed in the Dodgers’ 15-12 loss.