1988 Dodgers Week 1 review: Orel Hershiser, Pedro Guerrero start off on right foot

The 1988 Dodgers look to improve upon back-to-back 73-win seasons, and they got off to the right start this week by winning five of their first six games. After splitting with the Giants at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers swept the Braves in a four-game series in Atlanta.

Dodger Batter of the Week: Pedro Guerrero, who hit a career-best .338 last year with 27 home runs, played third base for the first time since 1985 and hit .316/.417/.474 for the week with four RBI to capture the first award of the season.

Honorable mention goes to light-hitting shortstop Alfredo Griffin, who hit .240 but drove in nine runs, including a career-high four RBI in Saturday's 11-3 win against some rookie pitcher named Tom Glavine. Newcomer Kirk Gibson homered and drove in five runs, and also stole four bases in his first six games in blue.

'88 Dodgers player profiles

Profiles of all 38 players from the 1988 World Series winners, plus Tommy Lasorda

Dodger Pitcher of the Week: For allowing one run in his two starts, Orel Hershiser is the clear winner of this award. He shutout the Giants on Tuesday and didn't allow a run until the ninth inning in Atlanta on Sunday. Surely his 17-inning scoreless streak will be tough to top this season.

"If I can get a shutout in half my starts and go 8 (innings) in the others, I'll be all right," Hershiser joked to Sam McManis of the Los Angeles Times.

All this by Hershiser was with a sty in the inner part of his right eye that worsened during the week. The sty was removed on Thursday, and he wasn't allowed to wear contact lenses until Sunday.

Honorable mention goes to the bullpen, as all six relievers combined to pitch 12⅓ scoreless innings, including rookie fifth starter Tim Belcher, who pitched six scoreless innings out of the bullpen during the first week of the season.

Week 1 Record: 5-1

31 runs scored (5.17 per game)
14 runs allowed (2.33 per game)
.811 pythagorean winning percentage

Climbing the K ladder: Don Sutton, who struck out four batters in his first start for the Dodgers in eight seasons on Thursday against the Braves, moved into a fourth-place tie on the all-time strikeout list. The leaders through Sunday: 1) Nolan Ryan 4,558; 2) Steve Carlton 4,132; 3) Tom Seaver 3,640; 4t) Sutton 3,534; 4t) Gaylord Perry 3,534.

Transactions:

• Monday: released outfielder Tito Landrum, who signed with the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. The Dodgers will be on the hook for roughly $237,500, the difference between his contract with the Dodgers and the minimum salary of $62,500 Landrum will receive with Baltimore.
• Monday: released catcher Alex Trevino, who was under contract for $312,500 this season.
• Tuesday: signed relief pitcher Ray Searage to a minor league contract.
• Tuesday: traded outfielder Reggie Williams to the Cleveland Indians for minor league pitcher Greg LaFever.
  

Game Results:

• Monday, Apr. 4: Giants 5, Dodgers 1
• Tuesday, Apr. 5: Dodgers 5, Giants 0
• Thursday, Apr. 7: Dodgers 5, Braves 2
• Friday, Apr. 8: Dodgers 6, Braves 3
• Saturday, Apr. 9: Dodgers 11, Braves 3
• Sunday, Apr. 10: Dodgers 3, Braves 1

Upcoming Week: The Dodgers have Monday off, then run the Cito Gaston Gauntlet, battling the Padres at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego before returning home to host the Braves.

Week 1 Stats