Parker Helps Angels Avoid Sweep, 6-4 : Baseball: They win third game of Freeway Series after two Dodger victories. Lasorda, as usual, is optimistic.

Dave Parker and Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda shared a triumphant feeling Sunday, although Parker and the Angels claimed victory.

Parker’s mood was boosted by his sixth spring home run and fourth as an Angel, a shot to right-center against Dodger right-hander Jay Howell. That homer gave the Angels their final run as they defeated the Dodgers, 6-4, in the Freeway Series finale before 43,011 at Anaheim Stadium.

Lasorda was brimming with optimism because of his club’s overall performance this spring. The Dodgers were 15-18, but won two of three Freeway Series games and eight of their last 10.

“I told (his players) at the start of spring training we’re going to look at a lot of different kids, look at a lot of different combinations, and our record isn’t important,” said Lasorda, whose club has a 33-32-1 Freeway Series lead over the Angels. “But when we get down to the last 10 games, I want to develop a winning feeling, and that’s what’s happened. I think we’re ready to go.”

Parker, a slow starter who has surprised himself by hitting .309 this spring, is also eager to start the season. The Angels were 13-15, their third consecutive sub-.500 spring.

“We’re ready to test the product on the real market,” Parker said. “We’re going in as bona fide contenders. I’m looking forward to having a great ballclub and seeing really good results.”

The results favored the Angels Sunday because of solid efforts by pitchers Jim Abbott and Scott Lewis, each of whom gave up a run in three innings, and a four-run rally in the second inning built around shortstop Alfredo Griffin’s inability to hold Mike Morgan’s throw to second on a potentially inning-ending double play.

After the error, which left Dave Gallagher on second and Junior Felix on first, Donnie Hill singled to load the bases. John Orton drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly, Max Venable drove in one with a single to center and Luis Sojo drove in two with a double to left.

Griffin was officially awarded the starting shortstop job after the game, when Jose Offerman was optioned to Albuquerque with pitchers Jim Neidlinger and Dennis Cook.

“I feel like I did the job when I played,” said Offerman, who hit .298 and committed five errors. “I feel 100% better than I did at the end of last year (when he was promoted from Albuquerque). All I can do is go and wait for my time.”

Sojo made two acrobatic plays at second to complement his two hits and two runs batted in. On the first, he tumbled to come up with Mike Scioscia’s second-inning grounder and made a good throw to first to get the Dodger catcher, and he ended the game by stabbing Lenny Harris’ line drive.

“I feel excited to make those plays,” said Sojo, who had played more shortstop than second until last season. “That’s the way I like to play, aggressive. I wait for those opportunities to make those plays.”

Venable’s fifth-inning homer gave the Angels a 5-1 lead. The Dodgers came back with single runs off Lewis in the sixth, Floyd Bannister in the seventh and Cliff Young in the eighth, before Bryan Harvey got the final out of the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth--with Sojo’s help.

“He is something,” Harvey said of Sojo. “I heard all winter how good he was, but now he’s shown it. Not only does he have the glove, he’s got a good stick.”

The Angels’ sticks produced a team batting average of .301. They hit .297 last spring and hit .260 during the regular season.

“Everybody’s ready. Everybody’s healthy. I think we’re going to have a great season,” Sojo said.

Series Notes

The Angels optioned pitcher Mike Fetters and infielder Bobby Rose to triple-A Edmonton and returned catcher Ron Tingley to their minor league camp for reassignment. Infielder Kent Anderson, who had remained in Arizona, was also optioned to Edmonton.

Right-hander Matt Keough, who has a torn rotator cuff, will undergo surgery Wednesday at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood. Keough signed a triple-A contract and doesn’t count against the roster. Fetters appeared in one exhibition game after suffering an injured hip and hamstring. He made 26 appearances for the Angels last season, 24 of them in relief, but will start for Edmonton. Rose hit .345 in 20 games and won the Fred Haney Memorial Award, presented by the Angels to the outstanding rookie in spring training. The off-season additions of Luis Sojo and Gary Gaetti left no room for him on the 25-man roster. Tingley was hampered by back problems early in the spring and hit .222 in six games.

Darryl Strawberry, who was three for eight against the Angels with two stolen bases and a home run in the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory Saturday, was voted the Fresco Thompson Trophy as the Freeway Series’ outstanding player. Mark Langston and Ramon Martinez shared the Lefty Phillips Award to the outstanding pitcher. . . . The Dodgers open the season Tuesday in Atlanta; the Angels open that day in Seattle.