Crews Does Job, Helps Martinez Win Seventh

After 3 1/2 hours, reliever Tim Crews held Sunday’s game in his right hand as the New York Mets threatened for the umpteenth time.

“Crews was the last man. He was it,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said.

Crews got Chris Donnels to ground to first, stranding the tying runs and holding off the Mets for a 7-5 victory before 46,714 at Dodger Stadium.

Crews, the last of five Dodgers who pitched Sunday, registered his first save of the season as the Dodgers used Ramon Martinez’s seventh victory and Kal Daniels’ three runs batted in--including a two-run home run--to close a nine-game home stand with a 7-2 record.

The victory allowed the Dodgers to maintain a half-game lead over Atlanta in the Western Division as they begin a seven-game trip today in Houston.

Martinez (7-1) was perfect for four innings, then began to struggle and left after six innings and 119 pitches with a 5-2 lead. With the Mets’ infield committing two more errors--and six in two games--the Dodgers built the lead to 7-3, then held off the Mets who scored once each in the eighth and ninth.

Watching the proceedings, Martinez said, “I was a little nervous. But it seemed like every time they score some runs we score. I’m still hanging in there, we got the win.”

Met starter David Cone (3-3) gave up an unearned run in the second when Daniels walked and first baseman Dave Magadan threw Mike Scioscia’s grounder into the outfield.

Said Magadan: “We’re not gonna set the world on fire with our defense.”

The Dodgers built the lead to 2-0 in the third on a single, two walks and Daniels’ sacrifice fly. The game stayed tight until the fifth, when Stan Javier delivered a sacrifice fly and Daniels sent a low Cone fastball over the left-field wall for a 5-2 lead.

“The pitch was low and away,” Cone said of Daniels’ homer. “It was some pretty good hitting on his part.”

Said Daniels: “It was a good pitch. I hit it good. I’m not hitting the ball like I’m capable but I just keep swinging.”

After giving up two runs in the fifth, Martinez struggled through a scoreless sixth, then was removed for a pinch-hitter.

“The first three or four innings I threw pretty good, but by the fifth my mechanics (were bad) and I was throwing a lot of high pitches,” Martinez said. “I make so many pitches, after that last inning (Ron) Perranoski told me I was out.”

That started a parade of Dodger relievers as the Mets kept threatening. Mike Hartley opened the seventh, faced four batters, then gave way to John Candelaria, who walked Magadan and was replaced by Jim Gott, who walked in a run before retiring the side.

Gott ran into trouble in the eighth, loading the bases with one out and giving way to Crews, who got out of the inning allowing only a run-scoring groundout, cutting the lead to 7-4.

With stopper Jay Howell having thrown Saturday, the last inning was Crews’ and he opened the ninth with two quick outs. Then Howard Johnson hit his ninth homer, Crews walked Kevin McReynolds and Daryl Boston singled, prolonging the agony before Crews finally got Donnels. While scoring in three of the last four innings, the Mets left 12 on base.

Crews recorded two victories and a save on the home stand, and the Dodgers’ bullpen has saved nine consecutive victories.

The Dodgers scored their final runs in the seventh, when Howard Johnson committed one error and could have been charged with two, helping load the bases. Eddie Murray got one run home with a sacrifice fly and Scioscia was walked with the bases loaded for the second run.

Martinez became the National League’s first seven-game winner, tying the Angels’ Chuck Finley for the major league lead, and Daniels increased his team lead in RBIs to 24, despite a .230 average.

“It was a little hairy, but we’ve been playing like that all season,” Daniels said. “We got a few breaks, they didn’t, and we won the ballgame.”

We haven’t been consistent all year. Once we get me and Straw (Darryl Strawberry) hitting like we’re capable we’ll start a roll. It shows what kind of team we’ve got--even though we’re not playing well, we’re still in first place.”

And if the offense clicks? “We’ll run away with it,” Daniels said with a grin.

Dodger Attendance

Sunday 46,714

1991 (19 dates) 789,691

1990 (19 dates) 661,020

Increase 128,671

1991 average 41,562