Advertisement

BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Four Hits Go a Long Way Against Rijo

Share via

Against Cincinnati starter Jose Rijo, who tied his career high with five strikeouts, the Dodgers made the most of four hits, including a solo home run by Tim Wallach in the second inning that traveled 392 feet, deep into the left-field seats.

“You have to get to Rijo early in the game because he just keeps getting better,” said Wallach, who is batting .280 with 78 runs batted in and 23 home runs.

The Dodgers went ahead, 2-0, in the fifth inning Thursday when Raul Mondesi singled, went to second on a balk and scored on a single by Rafael Bournigal. Mondesi also made a key play in the seventh inning when he threw out Tony Fernandez after fielding a line drive that ricocheted off the bottom of the right-field wall; it was his 16th assist of the season. The L.A. Dodger record for outfield assists is 19 by Frank Howard in 1962.

Advertisement

It was Martinez’s third shutout and fourth complete game this season.

“I was yelling for him the whole game, “ said Kevin Gross, who pitched well against the Reds Wednesday night but did not get the decision. “I told him a few things I had done with a few guys, and he used them. I lost my voice yelling. It was a big win for him and for us.”

*

Mondesi, who is batting .306 with 16 homers, eight triples and 27 doubles, is planning to return to the Dominican Republic Saturday, and Bournigal will leave for his home in Lakeland, Fla., in a few days. . . . Carlos Hernandez, who lives in Downey, said he will stay there for a while before returning to his home in Venezuela. “I want to sit in my house for a week and not even go out to buy milk,” he said. . . . The players haven’t canceled everything. Along with their families, they will attend the annual charity fashion show Saturday to benefit Cystic Fibrosis at the downtown Sheraton Grande Hotel. “Someone from the organization said that the kids with cystic fibrosis can’t go on strike, so we will be there,” Orel Hershiser said.

Advertisement