Dodgers Make a Sweeping Statement : L.A. Rebounds From 3 Straight Losses to Beat Cubs, 1-0 and 6-3

CHICAGO — Three days of idleness during the All-Star break proved restorative for the Dodgers as they swept a doubleheader from the Chicago Cubs, using vastly different resources in each game. Not exactly easing back into action, the Dodgers began their hot Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field with a 1-0 win over the Cubs behind the pitching and hitting of Tim Leary. He pitched seven scoreless innings and drove in the only run with a single off Rick Sutcliffe.

Then, as if to show their versatility and reinforce their position atop the National League West, the Dodgers turned to their offense in the second game. Two home runs by Kirk Gibson--his 16t1746952558homer by Mike Marshall that sailed into the street powered the Dodgers past the Cubs, 6-3, before a crowd 34,031.

Confident as they may be, many Dodger players said they needed to sweep the doubleheader after losing three straight at home to Pittsburgh. The victories improved the Dodgers’ record to 50-3908091758loss to the Pirates, moved Los Angeles 4 games ahead of the Giants.

“We were a little flat those last three games against Pittsburgh,” Marshall said. “But today we showed why we are where we’re at. Even if we don’t hit, we can beat you with defense and pitching. You have to win, 1-0, once in a while, because you aren’t always going to score a lot of runs.”

The link between the games Thursday was the work of the Dodger bullpen, which was used strategically in the first game and out of necessity in the second.

Alejandro Pena relieved Leary for the final two innings of the opener, even though it appeared that Leary could finish. Because of the glut of games on this 16-game trip, Leary (8-6) was saved for future starts, and Pena picked up his seventh save.

In the second game, starter Shawn Hillegas did not make it out of the third inning. Manager Tom Lasorda cleaned out the bullpen, using every relief pitcher except Jesse Orosco.

Brian Holton and Tim Crews did laudatory jobs in middle relief, enabling the Dodgers to take a 4-3 lead into the eighth inning. Lasorda then turned to closer Jay Howell, who provided a few anxious moments.

With two out in the ninth and Rafael Palmeiro on first base after a walk, Howell walked Ryne Sandberg to bring up left-hand-hitting Mark Grace. Instead of going with the left-handed Orosco, Lasorda chose to stay with Howell. Grace grounded to first for what appeared to be the final out, but Franklin Stubbs kicked the ball, loading the bases with left-hand-hitting Dave Martinez due up.

Again, instead of calling upon Orosco, Lasorda went against the percentages and stayed with Howell, who struck out Martinez on five pitches to earn his ninth save.

Lasorda said it was no reflection on Orosco that he chose to leave him tossing in the bullpen during the ninth-inning crisis.

“We did it because we know that if we went to (Orosco) against either of those guys, they’d bring in (Vance) Law and (Jody) Davis,” said Lasorda, referring to the Cubs’ available right-handed pinch-hitters. “And with the wind blowing toward left field, we didn’t want that.”

The Dodgers took control of the second game as soon as possible. Steve Sax led off with a single, stole second and scored on Danny Heep’s single. One out later, Marshall smashed a 1-and-1 pitch beyond the left-field bleachers and onto Waveland Avenue.

For Marshall, who grew up in a Chicago suburb, it was a special home run.

“I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve seen a lot of games here,” Marshall said. “Even though I’ve hit home runs here before, that’s the first one in the street.”

At that point, Marshall’s blast off Calvin Schiraldi (4-8) was the first home run allowed by Cub pitching since June 26. It would not be the last of the day, however.

Two innings later, Gibson hit the first of his two home runs, a bases-empty shot to right field off Schiraldi that gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. Gibson’s second homer was a wind-aided, two-run shot to left field in the eighth off Les Lancaster. The Dodger left fielder improved his batting average to .301 with 49 runs batted in.

Gibson’s team-leading 17th home run extended the Dodger lead from 4-3 to 6-3 going into Howell’s successful--if eventful--save appearance.

Perhaps even more significant than the events of the second game was Leary’s dominance in the first game against Sutcliffe.

“We really have to have a strong road trip,” Leary said. “Last year, this (Eastern) trip was a disaster. The guys who were here last year remember it. But as long as we keep playing strong on the road, we’ll be all right.”

Leary’s single climaxed one of the Dodgers’ few rallies against Sutcliffe (7-7), who pitched his fifth complete game. It began when Sutcliffe walked Jeff Hamilton and allowed a single to right field by Dave Anderson, Hamilton taking third.

Sutcliffe had an 0-and-2 count on Leary when he threw a slider high and outside. Leary reached out and slashed a line-drive single to right field, scoring Hamilton.

Surprise was the reaction of many fans at Wrigley Field, but they were probably unaware that Leary has a .303 average with 6 RBIs.

“I struck out four of my last five times at the plate, so I’m glad I was able to break out of it,” Leary said. “I thought he’d throw a slider. You just can’t lay it in there to a pitcher who can hit.

“Hitting is more a thing where either you can or you can’t. I was a pretty good hitter as a kid.”

Leary isn’t a bad pitcher, either. Thursday, he seemed headed for his sixth complete game when Lasorda pulled him in the eighth inning and brought in Pena.

Leary, who pitched out of three relatively minor early jams, said he accepted Lasorda’s decision because he will have to pitch Monday night in St. Louis on three days’ rest.

“I have mixed emotions,” Leary said. “I would have liked to stay in, but because I’ll be pitching with three days’ rest, maybe it was best. It’s better to take out a guy too soon than too late.

“Our bullpen has been throwing darts lately. Maybe it was good to bring in a fresh guy throwing 90 m.p.h. Possibly, if I wasn’t going to pitch on three days’ rest, they would have left me in.”

Pena’s performance didn’t lend itself to second-guessing. He retired all six batters he faced in the eighth and ninth.

The Cubs, who were able to push across only a single run despite 10 hits in 9 innings against Leary on July 2 at Dodger Stadium, could not even manage that this time. They had 7 hits against Leary, as well as several line-drive outs, but could not mount a threat.

“I thought we hit the ball pretty good today for not getting any runs,” Cub Manager Don Zimmer said. “We must have hit six or seven line drives right at people.”

Zimmer soon learned that this was just the Dodgers’ day.

“We needed this,” Lasorda said. “Al I can say is that winning two today was fine. But we’ve got to keep on doing it.”

Dodger Notes

Saying they wanted to give Orel Hershiser another day’s rest after making seven pitches in Tuesday’s All-Star game, the Dodgers made Fernando Valenzuela today’s starter and moved Hershiser to Saturday. Hershiser was scheduled to pitch against the Cubs’ Greg Maddux today, an eagerly awaited battle between 13- and 15-game winners. Pitching coach Ron Perranoski, however, said he decided before the All-Star game to switch Hershiser and Valenzuela, although no announcement was made. “We did it because we wanted to; we don’t have to give a reason,” Perranoski said. “Why not give (Hershiser) an extra day? There’s no sense in pushing it.” Hershiser last pitched on Sunday; Valenzuela’s last start was on July 6. Had the Dodgers stayed with the original plan, Hershiser would have pitched with four days’ rest--not to mention his one inning in the All-Star game--and Valenzuela would have had nine days between starts. . . . Manager Tom Lasorda began the long day with a morning team meeting, in which he used a Sports Illustrated story as a motivational device. “I told them that Peter Gammons (a Sports Illustrated reporter) said that we were going to falter in the second half,” Lasorda said. “I told the players that I believe in them and that they should believe in themselves.” . . . As Cub center fielder Dave Martinez was at the plate with the bases loaded and two out in the ninth inning of the second game, Cub officials passed out a release that Martinez had been traded to Montreal for outfielder Mitch Webster. Martinez, not aware of the trade or the press release, struck out. . . . Shortstop Alfredo Griffin, believed to be close to coming off the disabled list, said he still has stiffness in his right wrist. Griffin, who broke a bone in his right hand May 21, said he does not know when he will be activated. He has started hitting from the right side of the plate and also threw in batting practice before Thursday’s game. “It’s still weak,” Griffin said of his right hand and wrist. “I hope I come back soon, before I go crazy. I’m trying to strengthen the wrist, but I can’t do anything at full strength.” . . . Pedro Guerrero took batting practice for the third straight time--interrupted, though, by his All-Star break trip to the Dominican Republic--and there has been no regression in his chronic neck condition, according to assistant trainer Charlie Strasser. There is still no timetable for Guerrero’s return. “It’s up to Pedro,” Strasser said. Dr. Frank Jobe, however, said last week that Guerrero was still two to three weeks away from being activated. . . . Pitcher Don Sutton, on the disabled list with a sore elbow, threw before Thursday’s first game and reported “no pain, but weakness,” according to Strasser. . . . For those wondering whether Cub broadcaster Harry Caray serenades the Wrigley Field crowd by singing, “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” for both games of a doubleheader, yes, he does.