Dodgers No Longer Winless at Home

The Dodgers held their first bat-day giveaway since 1968 and the team seemed to take the cue Wednesday night, breaking its recent hitting slump and recording its first home victory of the season, 8-4 over the Atlanta Braves.

The victory came in their sixth home game, allowing the Dodgers to avoid matching the 1906 Brooklyn team for the worst start in team history.

They picked on a series of Braves’ right-handers, starting with staff ace John Smoltz, for everything from infield hits to home runs.

Kal Daniels hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs. Juan Samuel was three for four with two runs batted in. Darryl Strawberry had two hits, hustled a ball-four wild pitch into two bases and made a sterling backhanded catch in right. Mike Morgan pitched a solid eight innings, giving up four runs on six hits.

The whole thing was accomplished in 2 hours 21 minutes, and the appreciative Dodger Stadium crowd of 42,023 was generous with ovations.

So was Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda, who tried to deflect postgame interviews. “Go talk to the players,” he instructed. “Ask ‘em about the eight runs they scored. They did the job.”

The Dodgers didn’t take batting practice Wednesday, apparently saving it for the game. Taking advantage of leadoff walks by Smoltz in the first two innings, the Dodgers broke their 16-inning scoring drought with two runs in the first and another in the second.

A first-inning walk to Lenny Harris, a single by Strawberry and a forceout put runners at second and third for Daniels, who scored both with a single to left.

Mike Scioscia led off the second with a walk and eventually scored on a single by Samuel to stretch the lead to 3-0.

“I think it was a good suggestion from Tommy (Lasorda) to back off batting practice, take it easy and just come out and play the ballgame,” Strawberry said. “I think we showed what kind of ballclub we are when we relax, go out and play aggressive. When we get a couple guys on early, we got a good chance. It really helps our momentum. If we keep that direction we’ll make things happen.”

The Braves pulled to within 3-2 in the fifth inning when Sid Bream opened with a single and Terry Pendleton walked. Mike Heath knocked in a run with a single, and the second scored on a groundout. They were the first earned runs Morgan has given up this year, after 19 innings.

Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox replaced Smoltz (0-3) in the fifth and opted for right-handed relief. The Dodgers, who came up empty for two nights on a diet of Braves’ left-handers, produced their wildest inning of the home stand.

With one out against Marvin Freeman, Samuel beat out a topper to third. Strawberry walked, but Freeman’s fourth ball was so wild that Samuel continued to third and Strawberry went all the way to second without a play.

Eddie Murray was walked intentionally to load the bases. Cox summoned sinkerballer Doug Sisk to face Daniels, who quickly unloaded the bases, sending Sisk’s first pitch into the left-field pavilion--Daniels’ first homer of the season and the fourth grand slam of his career. That put the Dodger lead at 7-2.

Sisk said he wasn’t surprised when Cox called for a right-hander to face the left-handed Daniels. “When he calls you on the phone you get ready, you get yourself mentally prepared to go in and get batters out.

“I threw a fastball away. I threw the ball like I always do, over the plate, and hope that it sinks so that he hits a ground ball.”

Said Morgan (2-1): “That home run came at the right time. I’d let them back in the game with those two runs. That’s why we’ve got that lineup with Strawberry, Murray and Daniels. Give our pitching staff some support, we should come out ahead.”

Morgan came into the game with a perfect earned-run average but only one victory to show for it. His ERA ballooned to 1.52 Wednesday. “If it’s 1.52 in October, then I’ll be in business,” he said. “I gave the Dodgers a chance to win. I’ve done that three times out. Sometimes you get the runs.”

The Braves got two more runs on solo homers by Jeff Treadway in the sixth and Deion Sanders in the eighth, but Morgan remained in control, retiring the seven batters in between. Jay Howell pitched an effective ninth.