Something Is in the Air as Murphy and Braves Outslug Dodgers, 9-7

Forget juiced-up baseballs and corked bats. There’s another reason for the glut of home runs this season--the Lively Air Theory--vividly presented Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves, two teams headed nowhere in the National League West race, combined for six home runs into this particular air mass. When the constant circling of the bases ceased, the Braves emerged with a 9-7 win in a game that showed why these teams are where they are in the standings.

Meteorologists have yet to be consulted, but several Dodger players and Manager Tom Lasorda insisted that the light breeze and warmth in the sky at Dodger Stadium Saturday contributed greatly to the power festival played out before a crowd of 27,141.

“The ball carried good today,” Lasorda said. “When it’s real hot and there’s no breeze, the ball doesn’t carry here. But when it’s not as hot and there’s a slight breeze, it really jumps.”

Come to think of it, even the beach balls in the stands seemed to carry farther Saturday.

Days like this have occasionally happened in the 25 years of Dodger Stadium. Perhaps maybe Commissioner Peter Ueberroth ought to order that the smog and ozone layer above Dodger Stadium be cut open and inspected.

But those fans who have seen the Braves and Dodgers under every possible condition might agree with proponents of the Dead Arm pitching theory.

Whatever the reason or explanation, this bevy of home runs helped the Braves more than the Dodgers (48-61), whose second straight loss to Atlanta drops them into sole possession of fifth place in the West.

Dodger starter Orel Hershiser, who allowed only 7 home runs in 177 innings before Saturday, gave up consecutive opposite-field home runs to Gerald Perry and Dale Murphy in the Braves’ three-run fifth inning that gave them a 5-0 lead.

It was the first time in Hershiser’s career he allowed two home runs in one inning, and as a result, it was the first time since July 5 that he was lifted after five innings. The Dodgers struck back in the sixth, when Mickey Hatcher hit a two-run home run to straight-away center field off reliever Jim Acker, highly unusual for a contact hitter such as Hatcher.

Murphy, whose 32 home runs this season proves he can hit in any atmospheric condition, launched a three-run home run off reliever Ken Howell in the seventh to highlight a four-run inning that made it 9-2.

Although the Dodgers were getting blown out, they continued to strike blows into the friendly sky against Acker, who entered in the sixth when starter David Palmer left after getting hit in the right ankle with a line drive.

Mike Marshall hit a towering bases-empty, opposite-field home run in the eighth, slicing Atlanta’s lead to 9-3. And pinch- hitter Ken Landreaux led off the ninth with a home run to right, which started a four-run rally that made it interesting.

Hershiser, who doesn’t give up many home runs, was the first player questioned about the Lively Air theory.

“The ball was jumping a little, wasn’t it?” he said. “They were bad pitches anyway, but fly balls go out on a day like this. Unless you get a breeze, the ball doesn’t fly out like it did today.

“Look at some of the home runs. Perry hit a slow change out that was a fly ball, and Murphy hit his with just his hands. He’s a strong guy. And how many times does Hatcher hit one to dead center?

“I’ve won in day games before. There’s no great theory about how to pitch in day games. You keep the ball down and try to get ground balls. Today, I threw a lot of off-speed pitches and got the ball up.”

It is an indication of how poorly things are going for the Dodgers-- even their usually reliable starting pitching is faltering. The last two nights, neither Bob Welch nor Hershiser has pitched beyond the fifth inning.

The problem is that somebody has to pitch the remaining innings, and the Dodger bullpen’s performance Saturday made the deficit even greater.

“The big turnaround was our bullpen,” Lasorda said. “They gave up four runs. If we had good bullpen work, we would have won.”

Howell has given up 7 home runs in 53 innings, and the one he served up to Murphy in the seventh was maddening to Lasorda because it came when Howell was ahead in the count.

“(Howell) had two strikes and one ball and he gives the guy a pitch he can nail,” Lasorda said.

Despite being down by seven runs at one point, the Dodgers rallied in the late innings against Acker, who gave up all three Dodger home runs before being replaced by Gene Garber in the ninth.

Palmer (6-9), who gave up three hits in five innings, got the win and a trip to Centinela Hospital Medical Center for X-rays on his right ankle. Dave Anderson hit a fifth-inning liner that ricocheted off Palmer and into right field.

X-rays showed no fracture, and Palmer is not expected to miss a start.

Acker had about had it by the ninth, when he gave up the leadoff home run to Landreaux and then a single to Anderson. On came Garber, up gave up a bunt single to John Shelby and another single to Pedro Guerrero to load the bases. Marshall drove home two runs with a single to right, and another run scored on Mike Scioscia’s ground out.

Afterward, Lasorda was asked if he was encouraged by the comeback.

“Battling back is no good unless you come back all the way,” Lasorda said. “It’s like the guy on a boat that capsizes. He swims and swims and swims, and three yards from the shore he drowns. It doesn’t do any good.”

All season--and especially lately--the Dodgers have had a similar sinking feeling, amd they have now fallen 9 1/2 games behind the first-place Cincinnati Reds.

Dodger Notes

Shawn Hillegas (13-5 in Albuquerque) makes his major league debut today against the Braves, and he is ready with a prediction. “I bet I’ll be nervous,” Hillegas said. Hillegas was recalled Friday night to replace reliever Brad Havens, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a rib cage injury. Hillegas joined the Dodgers Saturday and said he figured he wouldn’t be brought up until September, when the Triple-A season ends. “I figured it was getting pretty late in the season,” Hillegas said. “But everything seems to be working out fine. I just got to keep working on the stuff I did (in Albuquerque) and not change anything.” Hillegas had a 3.37 earned-run average and gave up only 4 home runs in the Pacific Coast League, where most of the parks are designed for maximum offense. . . . . Mike White, the Dodgers’ first-round selection in the 1986 draft, has returned to the organization after leaving baseball for “personal reasons” on June 17. White left the Dodgers’ farm team in Bakersfield and was reportedly considering a college football career. White, who was recently married, will report to the Dodgers’ team in Vero Beach, Fla., which is closer to his Loudon, Tenn. home.