First Things First: Dodgers Win One

In all of the talk about running away with the division title, knocking off the Atlanta Braves for the pennant, and then finding the right jeweler to make customized World Series rings, the Dodgers somehow overlooked one possible feat.

How about winning the National League West title by going wire to wire?

It took all of a few hours for that to pop up Monday afternoon when the Dodgers defeated the Houston Astros, 4-3, in their season opener at the Astrodome before a paid crowd of 34,375.

The Dodgers needed only to look at the left-field scoreboard as they left the field to realize that it has taken only one day for them to rise to first place in the division. The San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants lost, and the Colorado Rockies were rained out, leaving the Dodgers alone at the top.

Their magic number is 162.

“This is the way it’s supposed to be,” said right fielder Raul Mondesi, who went two for five and scored a run. “We’re supposed to win the division. We might as well lead it all of the way, no?

“I think we can do it. Why not?”

There may still be six months and 161 games to go, but Mondesi already is thinking about the playoffs.

He was given a cortisone shot Saturday for the strained muscle in his left side, but he wasn’t about to miss the opener.

“I’m not going to miss a game all year,” Mondesi said.

Oh, play in all 162 games?

“No,” Mondesi said, “I’m talking about 180-some games. Don’t forget the playoffs and World Series. I’m playing in every one of those games too.”

The Dodgers, who listened to their critics all spring complaining about their confident attitude, backed up their talk by scoring all of their runs in one inning.

Trailing, 1-0, with one out in the fourth inning, Brett Butler reached first on an infield chopper. Mike Piazza slapped the next pitch to center for a single. Eric Karros, who didn’t even know if he would be playing a few days ago because of a shoulder injury, followed with a run-scoring single up the middle.

Mondesi hit what appeared to be a double-play ball to third baseman Sean Berry. Berry, making his Astro debut, bobbled the ball and could only step on third base for the forceout. Mike Blowers then worked Shane Reynolds for a walk, loading the bases for rookie Todd Hollandsworth.

Hollandsworth, who was told before the game that he and Billy Ashley will platoon, fouled off one pitch. Then another. He watched a fastball come across the plate and held his breath until umpire Paul Runge called it a ball. He stayed alive when he barely fouled off the next pitch.

“I felt like I was up there for an hour,” Hollandsworth said. “It was a battle.”

Reynolds came back with another forkball, and this time, Hollandsworth lined it past center fielder Brian Hunter into the right-field gap. By the time Hollandsworth was thrown out at third, three runs had scored, and the Dodgers led, 4-1.

Hollandsworth’s reward for his feat is a seat on the bench today when left-hander Greg Swindell starts, but if Hollandsworth has more games like Monday’s, he may not be sitting long.

“I wanted to win the everyday job, and I still want to play every day,” Hollandsworth said. “But I’m going to do what’s asked of me. I want to contribute to a team that goes to the World Series, and we’re off to a one-win start.”

Starting pitcher Ramon Martinez began to tire in the sixth. He opened the inning by giving up a leadoff home run to Jeff Bagwell. Derek Bell followed with a triple, and scored on Derrick May’s sacrifice fly. Martinez prevented further damage, but it was time to go to the bullpen in the seventh.

Manager Tom Lasorda called on Darren Hall. He gave up four earned runs Saturday in the Freeway Series against the Angels, but he made the Astros look silly.

Hall retired all six batters he faced, striking out three, and turned the game over to Todd Worrell in the ninth. Worrell pitched a 1-2-3 inning, and pumped his fist when Orlando Miller took a third strike, ending the game.

“[Hall] pitched great,” said Martinez, who yielded six hits and three earned runs in six innings. “You know, that was the first time I ever saw him pitch. I was always gone when he pitched in spring training games. This is the best bullpen we’ve had in a long, long time.”

It did seem like old times. Butler reached base three times. Piazza, Karros and Mondesi got two hits apiece. And the pitching staff shut down the Astros.

“It feels good to be back,” Piazza said. “Those first two innings, I felt like I was 10 years old, I was so excited. There was a lot of nerves, a lot of excitement. It’s just nice to win that first one.”

It may be only one game out of 162, but if you don’t win the first one, there’s little chance of leading the race wire to wire--a feat last accomplished by the 1990 Cincinnati Reds.

“That would be nice,” outfielder Milt Thompson said. “But if you talk about it, everybody gets so excited. Hey, what’s wrong with having a little confidence in yourself?”