Strawberry Gets Cheers, Dodgers Get 2-1 Victory

The player Dodger fans love to hate was back in left field Tuesday night, taking the field after listening to the vociferous boos he has grown accustomed to throughout his career.

“They love to cheer, they love to boo,” Darryl Strawberry said.

So in return, Strawberry gave back to the Dodger Stadium crowd of 43,155 something they used to be accustomed to.

In vintage style, Strawberry entered the batter’s box in the first inning and quieted the boos when he sent a quick wrist shot into the right-field pavilion. It was a solo shot, but it was enough to start the Dodgers on their way to a 2-1 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Strawberry’s home run was only one of three mistakes Marlin starter Jack Armstrong (4-6) made all night, but it was enough for Pedro Astacio to raise his record to 4-4 and Jim Gott, who pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, to earn his eighth save.

And it was enough to start blending a mixture of cheers with the boos for Strawberry the remainder of the game.

“I had a talk with him before the game and told him to relax,” Manager Tom Lasorda said. “His intentions are to try so hard to show that he can do the job. Right before he went to the plate, I said, ‘Relax.’ ”

It was Strawberry’s third start in left field since coming off the disabled list Saturday and the first time he has played in back-to-back games.

“I just feel like I try to go out there and do my best, and some days are better than others,” Strawberry said. “I’m really more concerned about my health and my body (than the crowd).”

Strawberry, who attempted a diving catch in the second inning, said he always is taking a chance going on the field. “I have a long way to go, it’s a long road for me,” Strawberry said. “This game shows that I’m capable.”

Since Strawberry returned to the lineup, his every move has been met with a stadium-wide chorus of boos, but then, his moves haven’t been all that good. Before Tuesday night, he was hitless in seven at-bats.

“I think they (the fans) are hard on him,” Mike Piazza said. “I think they’ve got to give the guy some credit. He’s working real hard. He’s a great guy and we all love him on this team.”

The solo shot put the Dodgers up, 1-0, and was Strawberry’s fifth home run of the season. He hadn’t hit one since May 9 at San Francisco, and four days later he went on the disabled list, hoping to strengthen his surgically-repaired back so he could work through back stiffness.

Well, Strawberry’s back is still stiff, but not as stiff as it was.

“It’s just tough to get loose and takes a while in the game,” Strawberry said. “If I don’t battle through it, it could set me back even more.”

Eric Karros, who is batting .304 since May 1, put the Dodgers up, 2-0, in the second inning when he doubled home Piazza, who had led off with a single and surprised Armstrong by stealing second base. It was only his second stolen base of the season. Piazza, who has hit safely in 32 of his last 38 games, is known for bat and his arm, but not for his speed.

It was such a quiet game, with Astacio and Armstrong stifling the batters, that Orel Hershiser, Roger McDowell, Carlos Hernandez and Kevin Gross helped bring a little levity when they came out after the third inning dressed in Sod Squad T-shirts and wearing weird-looking masks and dragged the infield.

Astacio, who has reached the sixth inning in eight of his 11 starts and the seventh inning five times, held the Marlins to three hits through four innings before giving up a leadoff double to Jeff Conine in the fifth. Conine later scored on a single up the middle by Chuck Carr. Carr, a 1986 graduate of Fontana High School, followed by stealing his 26th base of the season, tying him with Vince Coleman for the National League lead.

But Carr was left stranded when Astacio got Bret Barberie to fly out. Astacio, who didn’t walk a batter and gave up only one run, was relieved by Gott in the eighth.