Padres’ Dravecky Is Hard on the Dodgers

Just as suddenly as it had sprung to life, the Dodger offense has assumed its previous dormant state.

A new low in meekness was achieved Tuesday night, when the Dodgers managed a season-low three hits off left-hander Dave Dravecky, all singles, in a 4-0 loss to the San Diego Padres before 46,890 in Dodger Stadium.

It was only the second time this season that the Dodgers have been shut out, both times against the first-place Padres, who made it two in a row against Los Angeles and now lead the fourth-place Dodgers by five games.

The Dodgers’ only offensive gesture of the night came when Bob Welch threw a fastball in the direction of Steve Garvey’s head. Otherwise, they filed out of here as quietly as their fans, who deserted Dodger Stadium in droves after the Padres went ahead by four runs in the sixth.

“We’ve only played two games here,” said Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda when asked what had happened to the Los Angeles bats. “Did you think we were going to score six runs every game?”

Not against Dravecky, now 6-4, who did not allow a Dodger runner past first base. He struck out six Dodgers in the first five innings and was hindered only by Mariano Duncan, who had two of the Dodgers’ hits.

“Dravecky threw as good a game as I know he’s ever thrown,” Mike Marshall said. “I’ve faced him for the last three or four years, and that’s the hardest he’s ever thrown.”

Said Dravecky: “He’s probably right. I don’t know what it was, but I felt real strong.”

Leadoff man Steve Sax went hitless in four trips and is 0 for 9 in the series. Pedro Guerrero, who was near impossible to get out on the road, went hitless in four trips and is 0 for 7.

Tim Flannery, one of San Diego’s two stand-ins for Alan Wiggins, the erstwhile Padre leadoff man who vanished on San Diego’s last trip here and then admitted to a drug problem, had two run-scoring singles off Bob Welch, who is trying to come back from elbow trouble.

“I made some good pitches tonight and some that weren’t so good,” Welch said. “Give the Padres credit. They swung the bat and deserve to win.

“It’s been a struggle for me just to get on the mound. I need to get out there and make some more pitches, get comfortable.

“I feel fine and that’s a good sign.”

Garvey, who came into the game batting .444 lifetime against Welch, arose from the brushback to double down the left-field line, beating Guerrero’s off-the-mark throw with a head-first slide.

That gave Garvey five hits in seven at-bats in the series. So much for intimidation.

“It was close,” Garvey said. “If it was (intentional) it doesn’t make any difference, but it wasn’t. There was no intent. I guarantee it.”

Dravecky, making his third start this season against the Dodgers, could take solace in the fact that this time he wasn’t facing Orel Hershiser, who beat him twice in five days, with a two-hitter and one-hitter, respectively.

Dravecky held the Dodgers without a hit until Steve Yeager singled up the middle with two out in the fifth.

The Dodgers were so helpless against the Padre left-hander that four straight batters attempted to bunt on him: Dave Anderson, Welch and Sax in the third and Duncan to open the fourth. None succeeded.

By the sixth, San Diego hitters were in double figures against Welch, who was making his second start since coming back from 20 days of rest and rehabilitation in Vero Beach. His first start, last Wednesday in Cincinnati, was rained out after two innings.

The Padres ran themselves out of a potential big inning in the second when Duncan nailed Garry Templeton taking a wide turn around first after his RBI single.

San Diego left two on in the third when Graig Nettles flied to right, but three singles and a walk produced two runs and a 3-0 lead in the fourth.

Flannery’s second run-scoring single made it 4-0 in the sixth, and brought out Lasorda, who lifted Welch for Carlos Diaz.

The Dodgers, who had averaged six runs per game in their just-concluded trip, vented some of their frustration at official scorer Wayne Monroe, who charged Templeton with an error on Duncan’s slow roller. After a phone call from the dugout to the pressbox, Monroe credited Duncan with a hit, making the Dodgers more effective against the official scorer than against Dravecky.

Padre Notes Steve Yeager threw out Tim Flannery attempting to steal in the sixth inning, running his record to 11 runners caught in 15 attempts. . . . The Dodgers are 0-9 in Tuesday games. . . . Rookie Ed Wojna, who has replaced Mark Thurmond in the Padres’ rotation, will start Friday against the Giants. . . . Manager Tom Lasorda, asked about Steve Garvey’s comment about the longer grass in the Dodger Stadium infield: “What are you asking me for? I don’t even cut the grass at home.” . . . A glove belonging to Fernando Valenzuela is one of the articles included in a time capsule placed in the new International Tower Building at 888 South Figueroa Street. The capsule supposedly will be opened in 2085. . . . Greg Brock, who hit his 10th home run Monday night, didn’t hit his 10th last season until August. . . . Unbeaten Andy Hawkins (11-0) pitches against Jerry Reuss (4-5) tonight. . . . Lasorda is scheduled to receive the “Official Cavalier of Merit” award from the Italian government in ceremonies at the Italian consulate this morning. The award is in appreciation of Lasorda’s assistance to the Italian Olympic baseball team.