Butler’s Single Lifts Dodgers, 5-4

Brett Butler has been steady as usual during an up-and-down season for the Dodgers.

On Friday night, he tied the score with a home run in the eighth inning and then drove in the winning run with a single in the 13th as the Dodgers defeated the Florida Marlins, 5-4.

Eric Karros led off the 13th with a single and was forced at second base on a grounder by Raul Mondesi before winning pitcher Omar Daal (2-3) walked.

Butler, whose home run was his first of the season, then lined a single to left field, his fourth hit of the game.

“I guarantee you that I don’t want to go a whole season without hitting one,” Butler said of his home run. “I don’t think I’ve done that since my first season. It was a fastball. That’s about the only way I’m going to hit one out.”

John Johnstone (0-1), who entered the game to start the 13th, was the loser. It was his first major league appearance after joining the Marlins on Thursday.

“That’s a game we didn’t deserve to win,” Florida Manager Rene Lachemann said.

Rich Renteria was thrown out at the plate by Mondesi to end the game after Jeff Conine singled to left field.

“It was a good call to send him home,” Lachemann said.

Said Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda: “How about that throw by Mondesi? Mondesi had a good fastball from left field.”

Florida starter Chris Hammond pitched seven innings, giving up two earned runs and seven hits.

When Luis Aquino replaced Hammond to start the eighth, the first hitter he faced, Butler, hit a solo homer to make the score 4-4.

The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the first on a run-scoring single by Jose Offerman and a sacrifice fly by Mike Piazza, whose run batted in was his 88th of the season.