Patchwork Dodgers Scramble Back and Defeat Expos, 10-9

In one corner of the Dodger clubhouse here Wednesday night, the Beatles were softly singing something about getting a little help from their friends. Someone eventually cranked up the radio’s volume, drowning out most of the celebration taking place.

It was, unquestionably, the proper vocal accompaniment for the Dodgers to celebrate a highly improbable yet extremely satisfying 10-9 victory over the Montreal Expos before an Olympic Stadium crowd of 27,172.

The rare come-from-behind Dodger win, made possible by a five-run eighth inning, was a testimony to teamwork and the use of all available resources.

“That was what you’d call your basic team effort,” said catcher Mike Scioscia, who had a home run and a single and scored two runs. “Everybody did what they could.”

The Dodgers (53-66), quite limited in available bodies because of a prolonged injury siege, had to use 20 of the 24 players on the roster to overcome an early 7-1 Expo lead and snap a three-game losing streak.

It didn’t matter that many players were out of position, that pitchers were used as pinch-hitters and pinch-runners, and that injured players were summoned for cameo appearances. Manager Tom Lasorda saw a chance to win a game after an early burial seemed apparent, and he manipulated the lineup as best he could.

Alejandro Pena, scheduled to start Saturday night in Philadelphia, pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn the win. Pitchers Bob Welch and Orel Hershiser, lounging between starts, contributed by pinch-running and pinch-hitting, respectively. Mickey Hatcher and Pedro Guerrero, both sidelined by injuries, were forced to pinch-hit. And every able-bodied Dodger hitter was called upon to contribute.

Unlikely heroes, who normally reside on the bench or in the minor leagues, were scattered about the Dodger clubhouse.

Last-resort shortstop Craig Shipley, who endured a nightmarish travel odyssey just to make it to the game, delivered a two-run single in the eighth-inning rally.

Shipley flew to San Antonio Tuesday after being told he had been optioned, then re-boarded the same airplane shortly after landing and flew back after being told a mistake had been made. After every conceivable airport hassle, Shipley finally arrived four hours before gametime and found himself in the starting lineup.

“Yeah, it was worth the trip,” Shipley said. “You got to be happy coming back to the big leagues, even if it’s just a little while. But I’m real sleepy.”

Alex Trevino, the last of the six pinch-hitters Lasorda used, singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth. And center fielder John Shelby, who had gone 0 for 4, doubled in the eventual winning run.

“That was a big win for those guys,” an emotional Lasorda said afterward. “I’m so happy for them. This is what I’ve been telling you all along. That’s proof that, no matter what happens, these guys don’t quit.”

That may be true. But an assist also must be given to the Expos, who did what they could to let the Dodgers back into this one.

Montreal knocked out Dodger starter Shawn Hillegas after only two innings, collecting four runs on three hits, two costly walks and two wild pitches. They almost literally knocked out reliever Rick Honeycutt after only two batters.

Proving again that the Dodgers cannot go a game without sustaining an injury, Honeycutt was struck in the back of the head by a hard-hit ground ball by Tom Foley. Dazed and confused, Honeycutt was helped off the mound. Dodger trainers said afterward that Honeycutt was not seriously injured.

“But his eyes were pretty glazed,” pitching coach Ron Perranoski said.

The Expos went on to score three runs off Brian Holton, Honeycutt’s replacement, for a 7-1 lead. By the end of four innings, Montreal had an 8-2 edge, and the game was seemingly wrapped up.

But the Dodgers, perhaps too dazed by the onslaught to know better, did not give up. They scored three runs in the fifth off Expo starter Bryn Smith, Ken Landreaux knocking in two runs with a double and Scioscia contributing a run-scoring single.

The Dodgers didn’t strike again until the eighth, but that is when they caught and overtook the Expos, who seemed a little dazed themselves from what transpired.

The five-run inning began when Expo reliever Joe Hesketh walked Scioscia and Garner, the first two batters he faced. In came reliever Jeff Parrett, who walked Tracy Woodson on four pitches to load the bases.

That’s when Shipley cashed in on a long two days of air travel with a single to center that scored Scioscia and Garner, cutting the Expo lead to 8-7.

Lasorda then called on Hershiser to bat for Pena, hoping to bunt the runners over to third and second. Hershiser laid a two-strike bunt down the third-base line and reached first base safely on Parrett’s throwing error to load the bases.

Steve Sax then lined a ball that caromed off Parrett and bounced over to third baseman Tim Wallach, who threw out Sax for the inning’s first out. But Woodson scored to tie it, 9-9.

Lasorda’s next move was to bring up the ailing Guerrero to bat for Danny Heep. Guerrero, out of the lineup with a sprained left wrist and a sore right thumb, fouled out to first base, keeping Shipley at third and Hershiser at second.

But Trevino, batting for Landreaux, then hit a grounder up the middle that Expo second baseman Casey Candaele fielded on his stomach. Trevino beat it out for a hit as Shipley scored the go-ahead run.

Shelby then doubled to left field, scoring Hershiser for a 10-8 lead, but Trevino was thrown out on a close play at home plate.

When the Dodgers had the lead, they went about trying to keep it. That, too, was not easy. In fact, the Dodgers had trouble trying to field a lineup in the bottom of the eighth. Woodson moved to first base, Garner to third base and Trevino to right field, and Tim Crews was brought in to pitch.

But what to do about left field?

“When the eighth inning started, Hershiser ran back into the clubhouse and got his spikes and his glove,” Lasorda said. “He was ready.”

Lasorda did not want to use Guerrero, whose sore left wrist was examined beforehand by an Expo physician. The inning was about to start, but left field remained unoccupied. Finally, Guerrero emerged and trotted into position.

Crews gave up a two-out home run to Mitch Webster in the eighth, narrowing the Dodger lead to 10-9. But he retired the Expos in order in the ninth to earn his third save.

Dodger Notes

Because Alejandro Pena pitched two innings, he might not start Saturday at Philadelphia, as planned. Pitching Coach Ron Perranoski said he might come back with Shawn Hillegas, who lasted only two innings. . . .The four Dodgers who didn’t see action were pitchers Fernando Valenzuela, Tim Leary and Matt Young and injured outfielder Mike Marshall, day-to-day with a sore left ankle. Marshall received a shot Tuesday night in an attempt to reduce the swelling.