CHRONOLOGY OF DODGER TITLE DRIVE

Feb. 7--The Dodgers acquire Al Oliver from Philadelphia for Pat Zachry. Before spring training begins, Manager Tom Lasorda announces that Oliver, the oldest Dodger at 38, may be his starting left fielder.

Feb. 19--The day before Dodger pitchers report to training camp, Alejandro Pena, who led the National League in earned-run average in 1984, has surgery on his right shoulder and is put on the emergency disabled list. The Dodgers, who over the winter had attempted to trade a starting pitcher, either Pena or Bob Welch, must now keep both. Pena does not return until September, when he makes one relief appearance.

April 1--Steve Howe pitches two-thirds of an inning in an exhibition game, the first time in 17 months that he has appeared in any game for the Dodgers. Team officials are hopeful not only that Howe not only has overcome his cocaine dependency but also that his surgically repaired left elbow will be ready by the start of the season.

April 7--Second baseman Steve Sax is injured on an attempted pickoff play by Bobby Grich of the Angels in the last game of the Freeway Series. Sax suffers a strained muscle in his right leg and leaves the ballpark on crutches but says he’ll be ready for the regular-season opener.

April 8--It’s the day before the season opens, and the Dodgers, who failed in attempts to acquire a new third baseman so that they could move Pedro Guerrero to the outfield, are given virtually no chance of winning the Western Division title. Vice President Al Campanis’ reply to the naysayers: “Woe to them who misplace the Dodgers.” Campanis also says of Guerrero: “Pete tells me he wants to play third base very badly.”

April 9--Because of injuries, the Dodgers open the season with just 22 players on the roster. Mariano Duncan, who has never played an inning above Double-A ball, is called up as a last-minute replacement for Sax, who winds up on the disabled list. Duncan, in his first big-league at bat, strikes out on three pitches against Nolan Ryan, then makes an error that allows the winning run to score in Houston’s 2-1 win. “I’ll guarantee you, he was scared to death,” Tom Lasorda says of Duncan.

April 25--San Diego second baseman Alan Wiggins fails to show up at Dodger Stadium for the Padres’ game with the Dodgers. The Padres win, 6-3, but eventually lose Wiggins, who undergoes drug rehabilitation and then is traded to Baltimore. Without their only legitimate base-stealing threat, the Padres aren’t the same team.

May 3--The Dodgers lose to the Pirates in Pittsburgh, 16-2, as shortstop Bill Russell makes three errors in five innings. It’s their worst defeat since 1967.

May 5--With Steve Sax off the disabled list, Mariano Duncan plays his first game at shortstop for the Dodgers, handles five chances cleanly and turns one double play.

May 17--After the Phillies bomb Jerry Reuss and Tom (the Flamingo) Brennan, 10-4, the Dodgers drop a game below .500 for the first time since opening day. “I don’t like the way things are going,” Tom Lasorda says.

May 26--Bob Welch, rehabilitating his right elbow, pitches six scoreless innings for Class-A Vero Beach. In New York, meanwhile, Pedro Guerrero yells at reporters to get away from Mariano Duncan after Duncan becomes the first player in the league to reach double figures in errors. The next day, Met third baseman Ray Knight says: “That defense surely is not a major-league defense.”

May 29--Tom Lasorda pleads to reporters to go easy on his team. “They don’t need anybody criticizing them, kicking them when they’re down,” he says.

June 1--Lasorda switches Pedro Guerrero from third base to the outfield. “Pete’s done a very good job at third base, but we need his bat desperately,” he says. Guerrero plays center field and hits a home run in his last at-bat in a 4-2 loss to the Expos.

June 12--Bob Welch, in his first start since returning from Florida, works two innings before his start is rained out in Cincinnati. But he reports no pain.

June 20--Mike Marshall has an appendectomy and becomes the 10th Dodger to be put on the disabled list.

June 27--After losing two of three to the Padres in San Diego, the Dodgers return home, six games behind the Padres.

June 30--Pedro Guerrero hits a game-winning home run off Bruce Sutter for his 15th home run of the month, tying a big league record for June.

July 3--After he shows up late for one game and fails to show up at all for another game a week later, Steve Howe is given his unconditional release.

July 8--The Dodgers trade Al Oliver to Toronto for Len Matuszek.

July 10--The Dodgers get Enos Cabell from the Houston Astros for minor leaguers German Rivera and Rafael Montalvo. “We’re going to win the pennant,” Al Campanis tells a reporter. At the time, the Dodgers are 3 1/2 games out of first. That night, Pedro Guerrero hits a game-winning homer against the Pirates, then takes a full 40 seconds to circle the bases because of a severe back spasm.

July 12--Guerrero returns to L.A., where his injury is diagnosed as a severe back sprain.

July 13--The Dodgers, five games behind the Padres on the Fourth of July, move into first place, half a game ahead of San Diego, after beating the Cubs, 9-1, for their sixth straight victory. The victory also is their sixth 12th in 14 games.

July 31--The Dodgers end a month spent in what broadcaster Vin Scully calls the enchanted castle. Guerrero hit .460 and seven Dodger regulars batted better than .300, as the team averaged 5.1 runs a game. Greg Brock had 24 RBIs after having had just 23 in the first three months combined. Fernando Valenzuela, Bob Welch and Orel Hershiser went a combined 14-1 for the month, with nine complete games and three shutouts.

Aug. 6--Baseball goes on strike. The Dodgers, in Atlanta, head home, five games ahead of the Padres.

Aug. 8--Play resumes, but without Pedro Guerrero, who arrives late from the Dominican Republic after missing his flight. The Dodgers lose to the Reds, 6-5, in 13 innings.

Aug. 9--Guerrero returns and hits a three-run homer in his first at-bat, touching off a seven-game winning streak.

Aug. 15--The enchantment continues as Terry Whitfield hits a pinch homer that beats the Braves and Bruce Sutter.

Aug. 23--Mariano Duncan and Pedro Guerrero hit grand-slam home runs in successive innings in an 8-4 win over the Expos in Montreal on a night that the Padres are sweeping a doubleheader against the Mets. Despite having won 12 of 16 games, the Padres still lost half a game in the standings to the Dodgers.

Aug. 31--The Dodgers trade three players to Pittsburgh for Bill Madlock, a four-time batting champion.

Sept. 7--Pedro Guerrero sprains his left wrist when he bangs it on the railing down the left-field foul line, and eventually misses the next 17 games.

Sept. 15--With a chance to open a 10 1/2-game lead over the Reds, the Dodgers lose a 6-1 lead and the game to Cincinnati, 10-6.

Sept. 21--With their lead reduced to 4 1/2 games, the team has a pregame meeting. Two of the keynote speakers, Enos Cabell and Bill Madlock, have seven hits between them, and Jerry Reuss throws a four-hitter in an 11-2 win over the Giants.

Oct. 2--The San Diego Padres beat the Cincinnati Reds, 5-4, eliminating the Reds and clinching the title for the Dodgers, who beat the Atlanta Braves, 9-3.