Dodger Stadium, Perez Look Better to Dodgers

Having played 16 of their first 21 games on the road, after spending six weeks of spring training in Florida, the Dodgers figured it wouldn’t hurt to be home.

In fact, the way Manager Davey Johnson saw it, embarking on a nine-game home stand would only help his team overcome any nagging or cumbersome injuries.

“We’re getting healthier by the minute,” Johnson said, “now that we’re in this California sunshine.”

The Dodgers ended a four-game losing streak by beating the Florida Marlins, 5-3, in front of 46,012 at Dodger Stadium on Friday night in a game that Dodger starter Carlos Perez pitched well enough to win, but didn’t, and Shawn Green won with his arm and bat.

“[Carlos] kept us in there, he did what I wanted him to do,’ Johnson said. “It was a good step in the right direction for him, a real positive outing.”

The always exciting but erratic Perez provided his usual early-inning histrionics. He didn’t get a decision, as reliever Terry Adams picked up the win to improve to 2-1. Perez went six innings and gave up two runs on five hits while striking out six and walking one. He threw 92 pitches, 60 for strikes.

Jeff Shaw pitched a scoreless ninth for his sixth save. Green was three for four with two runs batted in and a big assist from right field..

“The thing is, we had some chances to score runs early but didn’t,” Perez said. “I’m not worried about those things. I can’t worry about it. I just have to do my job.”

After scoring 36 runs in three wins at Cinergy Field against the Cincinnati Reds last weekend, the Dodger bats fell silent against the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves in subsequent games. The Dodgers scored four runs in four games, all losses.

It looked as if the trend might continue early against Florida.

After the Dodgers blew a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the first inning--Eric Karros struck out and Todd Hundley flied out--the Marlins scored twice in the second inning.

Perez hit Florida’s first batter of the inning, Mike Lowell, before giving up three consecutive singles.

Dave Berg’s single drove in Lowell and Mike Redmond’s single scored Kevin Millar.

With none out, it could have been much worse for the Dodgers.

However, Perez settled down and struck out pitcher Brad Penny for the first out of the inning before leadoff man Mark Kotsay lofted a lazy fly ball to right.

Green caught it running in and nailed Berg, tagging up from third, at the plate.

The Marlins wouldn’t advance a runner past second base for another five innings, after Perez had exited the game.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, tied it up, 2-2, in the fourth.

Green led off with a single and promptly stole his team-leading third base of the season.

After Karros grounded out to third, Penny walked Hundley and Adrian Beltre in succession to load the bases with one out.

Kevin Elster wasted no time swinging, smacking Penny’s first offering into left field, driving in Green and Hundley.

Terry Adams replaced Perez in the seventh and, thanks to an infield error, gave up the go-ahead run.

After a Berg single, Redmond grounded to second base. F.P. Santangelo, getting the start for Mark Grudzielanek, threw wildly past Elster, Berg scampering around to score.

The Dodgers, however, immediately took the lead.

Devon White singled, Gary Sheffield walked, and Marlin Manager John Boles replaced Penny with lefty Armando Almanza to face the left-handed Green.

Green doubled down the first-base line, scoring White and Sheffield. And when first baseman Millar’s throw to the plate, trying to get Sheffield, eluded catcher Mike Redmond, it bounced out of play and Green was awarded home, making it a three-run at-bat.

Shaw gave up a double to Berg in the ninth, but otherwise had no trouble picking up the save.

Perez wouldn’t have minded throwing an inning or two more.

“I was surprised when they took me out after the sixth inning,” he said. “I know I had thrown a lot of pitches, but I felt like I could still go.

“I feel like I can go seven, eight or nine innings like I used to do early in my career.”