Claire Trying to Keep Pressure Off

Executive Vice President Fred Claire, who originally was not scheduled to be with the team in Denver but came to provide support for interim Manager Bill Russell, said he’ll do everything in his power to ease the team’s anxieties.

“I think one of the best things for us now is to be very positive and do everything we can to keep the pressure off the club,” Claire said. “That’s not an easy thing to do playing in a major city. But we believe in the people we have.”

If nothing else, Russell can at least draw on Claire’s experience. Claire was promoted to his job during a crisis in 1987 when General Manager Al Campanis was fired for his insensitive racial remarks on national TV. It was supposed to be an interim job. Nine years later, Claire has the second-longest tenure among baseball general managers.

“This is an opportunity for him to show what he can do,” Claire said.

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Dodger starter Pedro Astacio said it’s ridiculous for Colorado first baseman Andres Galarraga to think that he was throwing intentionally at him Thursday night after Galarraga’s two homers.

“Come on, that was a curveball,” Astacio said. “I’m teed off when he says I tried to hit him. If I’m going to hit the guy, I’m not going to hit him with a curveball. I’ll throw a fastball.”

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Coach Manny Mota, who scouts from the stands during games, will be on the bench during Tom Lasorda’s absence to assist Bill Russell.