One Pitch Takes Air Out of Dodgers, 1-0 : Baseball: Morgan gives up only two hits, but the second is a game-ending home run by DeShields.

Dodger starter Mike Morgan was so caught up in the tension of the moment that he didn’t realize what was happening in the ninth inning.

Locked in a scoreless duel with Montreal’s Dennis Martinez, Morgan had just given up a first-pitch home run to Delino DeShields to make the Expos 1-0 winners Tuesday.

“It’s the first time I’ve been in a situation like that in my career. I didn’t realize the game was over,” Morgan said. “I see these guys running out of the dugout, I thought I was being charged.”

The first-pitch rocket to center by DeShields put a sudden end to a brilliant pitching performance. Martinez (3-2) and Morgan (2-2) gave up a combined six hits and sent the Olympic Stadium crowd of 10,333 home in 2 hours 11 minutes.

Morgan, who might qualify for the hard-luck pitchers’ hall of fame, gave up two hits, struck out five, didn’t give up a fly ball to the outfield until DeShields’ and lowered his earned-run average to 1.42.

“One pitch, you kidding me--the whole game,” Dodger outfielder Brett Butler said. “The man throws the ball that good, it’s a shame you have to have a loser.”

Catcher Mike Scioscia said: “Don’t concentrate on the last pitch. That’s as good a ballgame as you’ll see anybody pitch. (Morgan) has been consistent all season. If he keeps this consistency for the whole season, he’s going to have some kind of year.”

DeShields, the Expos’ talented second-year man, could as easily have been the goat. It was the Dodgers who had most of the few scoring chances, and they came closest in the eighth when Butler drew a two-out walk and stole second and Juan Samuel beat out a grounder DeShields bobbled for an error.

But Butler stopped at third, and after working a 3-and-0 count, Darryl Strawberry followed with another grounder to DeShields.

“I wasn’t worried (about the error). I knew Butler was on second and I was more concerned with keeping the ball in the infield,” DeShields said. “Besides, I knew the next ball was coming to me. It always works that way.”

For his game winner, DeShields jumped on a slider that was supposed to run in on his fists but stayed on the inside part of the plate. It wasn’t in doubt from the moment of impact. DeShields, who hit his sixth major league home run, knew. “I don’t hit many, but when I hit them I know,” he said with a grin.

Morgan said that although he would like to have the pitch back, he would throw it again and take his chances. “I didn’t think it was going out,” he said. “The guy’s got a bat in his hands, that’s what he’s paid to do. Besides we had more chances than they did.”

Butler said he might have scored on DeShields’ error, but he had his back to the play while running. “I’ll take the blame--in that situation I’ve got a chance to score, I’ve got to be more aggressive and maybe I should have run,” Butler said.

Martinez was rarely in trouble otherwise, pitching four perfect innings before giving up his first hit, and stranding Eddie Murray at third by notching two of his seven strikeouts in the fifth. He lowered his ERA to 1.23.

“Martinez had a nasty breaking ball,” Butler said. “Sometimes I don’t know how he loses.

For the Expos, who still have the National League’s worst record at 7-13 and have been under fire for lack of production, it was the second consecutive time they have won on their last at-bat. They beat the Cardinals Sunday on Marquis Grissom’s 10th-inning grand slam.

“I think this one is really a turnaround for us,” Martinez said. “After Sunday, we came out and performed again. It was a great one to win like that.”

Martinez, who was 10-11 last year despite a 2.95 ERA, then considered his opponent: “It was unfortunate for Mike, though.”