New Rotation Doesn’t Bother Valenzuela, 5-1

Showing no ill effects from moving up a day in the new four-man rotation, Fernando Valenzuela pitched seven strong innings and the Dodgers took advantage of an inept Houston Astro defense for a 5-1 victory Tuesday.

Before a Cap Night crowd of 45,054 at Dodger Stadium, Valenzuela evened his record at 5-5 and handed the Astros their 11th consecutive road loss.

The victory came at the expense of Mike Scott, who fell to 4-7 despite giving up only one earned run. The Dodgers scored four times on only one hit in the fourth to give Valenzuela all the runs he needed against the Astros’ weak attack.

Valenzuela had problems with his control in the first two innings, giving up only a single but walking three and having to contend with two baserunners in each inning. He stranded a man at third in the first inning.

But he found his groove in the third inning and retired 10 consecutive batters, striking out four of them.

Scott matched Valenzuela for three innings but was victimized by his defense and his own control problems in the fourth. AlexTrevino, playing his first game this season at first base in place of ailing Glenn Davis, couldn’t handle Kal Daniels’ grounder to open the inning and was given an error.

Eddie Murray followed with a single, and with one out and the runners moving, Mike Scioscia grounded to shortstop Eric Yelding--who tried to tag second but was beaten by Murray, loading the bases. Scott walked Mike Sharperson on four pitches, forcing in the first run. Alfredo Griffin followed with a run-scoring fly to medium center, and when the throw home wasn’t cut off, the runners advanced to second and third.

That cost the Astros two more runs when Yelding threw Valenzuela’s grounder into the dirt for the second error of the inning. All four runs were unearned.

Murray produced the Dodgers’ fifth run, hitting a two-out home run deep into the right-field bullpen in the fifth inning.

Valenzuela’s shutout ended in the seventh when Casey Candaele hit a one-out homer--his third this season and second off Valenzuela this year. Valenzuela also gave up two subsequent singles, but left the runners on base by striking out pinch-hitter Dave Rohde.

With a four-run lead and 110 pitches thrown, Valenzuela was given the rest of the night off, with Tim Crews and Jim Gott pitching a scoreless inning each. Valenzuela said he would have continued if Candaele hadn’t homered.

Valenzuela was pitching on three days’ rest for the first time, he said, since 1986 or ’87. “It’s been a long time,” he said.

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said Valenzuela “said he could do it. We’ll see how it works.”

Ramon Martinez will also pitch on three days’ rest tonight.

“You’re not going to see a difference the first start or second start,” catcher Mike Scioscia said. “But if you keep someone on three days’ rest for a long period of time, it’s going to take its toll. (Valenzuela) has been very consistent lately. We’re looking for six to eight strong innings from him start after start, and that’s what we’ve been getting.”

The Astros have been equally consistent--losing their 11th consecutive road game and falling to 9-24 away from home, the worst record in the majors.

“I don’t have any answers,” Scott said. “We had one good stretch but . . . we’re having a hard time winning games.”

Said Astro Manager Art Howe: “This whole road trip we haven’t been able to come up with the big hit. I thought (Valenzuela) was ripe to be had.”

The victory, the Dodgers’ third in a row, pulled them to within a game of .500 and kept them within a game of third-place San Diego.

Dodger Notes

After grounding out in the fifth inning, Kal Daniels left the game because of discomfort in his left hamstring. Daniels was to be examined today. . . . Outfielder Stan Javier has hits in eight consecutive games and he has increased his average to .309. During that streak Javier has hit .435 and scored eight runs. The switch hitter is batting .368 right-handed and figures to continue seeing playing time because of the injury to Kirk Gibson. . . . Fernando Valenzuela came into Tuesday’s game hitting .400 with a home run, six runs batted in and a pinch-hit double. He has at least one hit in seven of 13 starts. . . . The Dodgers entered Tuesday’s game without anyone in the NL’s top 10 in any offensive category except stolen bases--where Juan Samuel is tied for second with 24, but he has been benched since Friday. . . . The Dodger bullpen, which has a 7-10 record and 4.08 earned-run average for the season, has given up only three runs in the last 19 innings, a 1.40 ERA. . . . Jim Gott, who struck out two in a pressure situation Monday, said he felt “fantastic” the day after. “I’m ready (to pitch) every night now,” he said.

The Astros have had their own injury problems. National League home run leader Glenn Davis was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game Tuesday because of a sore lower back. Rookie Eric Anthony, who has been limited to pinch-hitting because of a hamstring injury, was examined by Dr. Frank Jobe Tuesday and pronounced sound. Anthony, who last month became only the second Houston player to hit a home run into the upper deck of the Astrodome, said he expects to return to the lineup today. And infielder Ken Oberkfell, who left the field Monday because of a rib cage strain, was placed on the 15-day disabled list. The Astros recalled Dave Rohde from triple-A Tucson in his place.

The Dodgers’ rookie league teams, Great Falls (Mont.) and Kissimmee (Fla.), begin play today. The Great Falls roster includes No. 1 draft choice, pitcher Ronnie Walden, as well as twins Mike and Mark Mimbs, both left-handed pitchers, and pitcher Pedro Martinez, 19-year-old brother of Ramon Martinez. The younger Martinez is scheduled to pitch today’s opener at home against Medicine Hat.