Just Like Old Times, Dodgers Beat Padres

In keeping with “Think Blue Week,” the Dodgers did a convincing imitation of their glory days Sunday, beating the Padres, 6-3, before a crowd of 40,558.

The Dodgers parlayed Mike Morgan’s strong starting pitching with Kirk Gibson’s home run and Jay Howell’s ninth-inning relief work to win at Dodger Stadium.

With Gibson’s three-run homer in the first inning, the Dodgers built an early lead for Morgan, who scattered six hits through eight innings before tiring in the ninth.

When the Padres opened the last inning with a single and double, Howell came on to retire the side on two strikeouts and a foul pop.

It’s a familiar formula, but one the Dodgers haven’t applied often this year.

“Today we scored six runs, Gibby gave us the home run--which is what we expect with him in the lineup--and Howell looked real well,” said Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda. “There’s still a lot of games remaining if we can get a good streak going. We’ve got to produce some runs, get the bullpen going again. We get Jay Howell out there where he belongs, it gives it some perspective.”

In picking up his first victory since May 26, Morgan (7-5) said he worked without his best stuff but was tough when he had to be. Six of the Padres’ eight hits were for extra bases, but Morgan stranded runners on third base in the first two innings.

The Padres appeared to have him in trouble in the third inning when Bip Roberts hit a two-run home run and Roberto Alomar followed with a double. But Morgan coaxed the lineup’s two most dangerous hitters, Tony Gwynn and Joe Carter, into outs, then snared Fred Lynn’s vicious line drive.

After that, Lynn was the only Padre to do any damage, hitting a solo home run in the fifth. It was his third of the season, all against the Dodgers.

The Dodgers took a 6-2 lead in the third inning on Mike Sharperson’s bases-loaded single, good for two runs, and Alfredo Griffin’s RBI single.

“Lately, when teams have come back on us they’ve gone on to beat us,” Morgan said. “We turned it around today. They scored and we came right back with a three-spot. It was nice.”

“We get a couple hits (in the third) and Morgan’s not even around,” Padre Manager Jack McKeon said. “He did a good job of coming back. You’ve gotta be a little lucky and he was.”

Lynn, one-time teammate of Morgan in Baltimore, saw no luck. “He was hitting the corners,” Lynn said. “He pitches tough. He’s never pitched for a good ballclub before. Give that guy some runs and he’s going to keep you in there.”

Morgan said that was his objective. “At the start of the game my rhythm was off,” he said. “You don’t go out there every five days with your best stuff. You’ve gotta battle with what you have, and that’s what I did.”

The Dodgers’ first-inning damage came against Dennis Rasmussen, who fell to 6-4 and didn’t return for the second inning, complaining of shoulder stiffness. Eric Show took over and gave up the Dodgers’ last three runs.

When Morgan faltered in the ninth, Howell arrived with none out and runners on second and third. Coming off an impressive two innings Friday, Howell struck out Phil Stephenson on a low curve. Jack Clark also struck out on a curve. Shawn Abner fouled out, giving Howell his second save and first since May 18.

Howell, returning from arthroscopic knee surgery, said it was the strongest he has felt. “You can’t tell from one game; I’d like to carry this over into a few games,” he said.

“My velocity was better, my location was better. I haven’t felt physically that comfortable. I rushed off the disabled list, and really I think that was a mistake. I was favoring my (knee). My delivery got out of whack. Now I’m getting a little stronger and I’m getting comfortable coming down on that front leg.”

Morgan said, “I’ll hand the ball over (to Howell) every night. Getting into the ninth, you hand the ball over to Jay Howell, you’ve got a good chance of winning. He’s a battler. We’ve got other guys we should be able to lean on (in the bullpen), too. But being our stopper, to get him back makes it easier.”

For his part, Howell returned the compliment. “Go talk to Mike Morgan,” he said. “He pitched a hell of a game.”

For a day, at least, it seemed like old times.

Dodger Notes

After averaging 3 hours 35 minutes in their last four games, the Dodgers and Padres played in a rather quick 2:26 Sunday. . . . Padre starter Dennis Rasmussen will return to San Diego for a medical examination while the Padres go to San Francisco. . . In his third consecutive start, Stan Javier had two hits and a walk, giving him 15 hits in his last 30 at-bats. . . An unhappy Juan Samuel, hitless in his last 30 at-bats, sat out his second consecutive game Sunday.

DODGER ATTENDANCE Sunday: 40,558

1990 (33 games): 1,196,000

1989 (33 games): 1,293,353

Decrease: 97,353

1990 average: 36,242