Daniels Gives Dodger Slump One Day Off : Baseball: They don't exactly overwhelm the Mets in a 3-1 victory, but they do get six hits, including his three-run homer.

Daniels Gives Dodger Slump One Day Off : Baseball: They don’t exactly overwhelm the Mets in a 3-1 victory, but they do get six hits, including his three-run homer.

By BILL PLASCHKE

July 31, 1991 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Kal Daniels, who admitted Tuesday that he has not been thrilled with batting fifth all season, needs work on getting that point across.

A team in need of a power surge received one from a familiar spot Tuesday when Daniels used another bit of batting artistry to hit a two-out, full-count pitch by the New York Mets’ Pete Schourek over the left-field fence for a three-run home run in the first inning.

Thanks to Ramon Martinez’s six-hitter, that hit stood up for a 3-1 victory before 43,093 at Dodger Stadium.

Even though the Dodgers scored more runs with more hits--six--than in the previous two games combined, don’t think they remember how to swing the bats just yet. All three runs came after an error by Howard Johnson, meaning they have still scored only one earned run in the last 27 innings.

The Dodgers are still so desperate to score, Alfredo Griffin attempted to run to second base on a walk in the seventh inning. Alejandro Pena, the Mets’ pitcher, became aware of Griffin’s ploy just in time to throw him out.

Remember Tom Lasorda’s idea of canceling batting practice Tuesday? There will be full batting practice today.

“I don’t think canceling batting practice affected anything,” Daniels said with a smile. “After that first inning, we didn’t score, did we? Maybe because we won, it makes Tommy sound like a genius, but I don’t think batting practice had any effect on the game.”

Daniels, who is outspoken about many things, has kept quiet about his displeasure over being moved to the fifth spot in the order. He thinks it is a curious move because, last season, batting third, he hit .296 with a career-high 27 home runs and 94 runs batted in.

“I have met with Tommy about it, let’s just keep it at that,” Daniels said. “He knows how I feel, I don’t want to make a big deal about it.”

Lasorda was moved to accommodate the arrival of Darryl Strawberry. Lasorda wanted a good run-producing hitter batting behind Strawberry and Eddie Murray, a hitter who would not be terribly affected by a weaker hitter batting behind him.

Daniels’ heroics happened after Brett Butler started the game with a walk. After Juan Samuel struck out, Johnson botched a grounder by Murray to put runners on first and second.

After Strawberry flied to left, Daniels worked Schourek to a full count before swinging at what would have been ball four. It was high and outside, but Daniels swung anyway and hit his 12th homer into in the seats in left, another opposite-field shot.

“I was looking fastball, and that’s what I got,” Daniels said. “It was a ball, but it was something I could drive, and so I had to go for it.”

He is tied with Strawberry for the team lead in homers and has 46 RBIs, second on the team.

Daniels’ importance, however, is better measured in other areas.

When he recently missed nine games because of his mother’s serious illness, the Dodgers went 2-7. Since he has returned to the lineup, they are 5-2.

In games he has started, the Dodgers are 47-30. They are 10-12 without him. No other starter has recorded such an impact.

Before Tuesday, he was batting .316 since returning to the lineup, even though most of the team has been in a batting slump.

“Kal is a great hitter, and I told him that we need a great hitter batting fifth on this team,” Lasorda said. “We need a great hitter backing up Strawberry and Murray. . . .”

“Besides, like I told Kal, after you go around the order once, what does it matter where you hit?”

Daniels’ homer and the three unearned runs were the only stains on Schourek, a 22-year-old who struck out eight in six innings in his first major league start.

Martinez had six strikeouts and one first-inning walk while improving to 14-5, tying him with Atlanta’s Tom Glavine for the National League lead in victories. He also lowered his earned-run average to 2.25, tying Glavine for second in the league.

Martinez may never have heard of Schourek, but he learned all about him in the second inning during a 14-pitch duel with Hubie Brooks on second base and two out.

In his sixth major league plate appearance, Schourek fouled off eight pitches before lining a full-count single up the middle to drive in Brooks and make it 3-1. It was Schourek’s first major league hit in five official at-bats.