Another Early KO by Dodgers in 8-5 Win Over Pirates

An early offensive outburst by Dodger hitters usually is not necessary when Orel Hershiser pitches. Nor has quality late-inning relief help always been provided at those times when Hershiser needs it.

But Wednesday night, as Hershiser struggled while winning his sixth straight game of the season, he badly needed and no doubt greatly appreciated both contributions by his teammates.

Staked to a seven-run lead after just two innings by the suddenly rampaging Dodger offense, Hershiser muddled through 6 innings on an off night before turning to reliever Jesse Orosco to extricate him from a seventh-inning jam.

Orosco did his job, and despite a shaky outing by reliever Jay Howell, the Dodgers once again easily turned back the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-5, before 30,423 fans at Dodger Stadium.

Many times in recent seasons, Hershiser (6-0) has carried the Dodgers despite being subjected to run deprivation and an unreliable bullpen. But Wednesday night, he was the recipient of all the runs he would need and finished watching from the bench without too much anxiety.

“I notice the change (from last season) in my record,” Hershiser said. “Tonight might have been one of those types of games where, if we didn’t have a great offense and didn’t have a bullpen, I might have lost.

“If this was last year, I could be 4-2 instead of 6-0.”

All but one of the Dodgers’ runs came from bookend rallies in the first and second innings, which gave Hershiser a cushy lead but also made him sit and wait during a couple of long innings.

“But I’ll take the runs anytime,” said Hershiser, who had 15 starts last season in which the Dodgers scored three or fewer runs.

In the first inning, Mike Davis produced a run-scoring single, which was followed by a mammoth, two-run home run by Kirk Gibson. The second-inning sequel was even more impressive, Pedro Guerrero clouting a two-run ground-rule double and Danny Heep hitting a two-run single.

“It’s much easier for everyone when everybody’s hitting,” Guerrero said. “There’s no pressure on anyone.”

That’s especially true for Hershiser, who kept pace with New York’s Dwight Gooden for the National League lead in wins. The early Dodger runs had to make the consecutive home runs Hershiser served up to Andy Van Slyke and Bobby Bonilla in the third inning slightly more bearable.

“You’ll notice those two home runs came right after the second inning, which was the longest one we had tonight,” Hershiser said. “I had trouble getting my rhythm. Bonilla’s was just a changeup, but on Van Slyke, I fell behind, 2 and 0, because I didn’t feel right. So, I gave him a fastball down the middle of the plate.”

Even after that Pirate assault, Hershiser had the luxury of a five-run lead. He allowed 10 hits, struck out 7 and gave up 1 walk in 6 innings before handing over the ball to Orosco.

Hershiser ran into trouble every odd inning--he struck out R.J. Reynolds in the first with the bases loaded, and struck out Sid Bream with a runner on third in the fifth--before Manager Tom Lasorda made the change.

“I had told Tommy before the inning that (it) would be my last one,” Hershiser said. “I wanted to give the relievers some work.”

The situation Orosco faced was not easy, even with the Dodgers holding a five-run lead. The Pirates had runners on first and second with one out and Van Slyke and Bonilla coming up.

Van Slyke ran the count to 3 and 2 against Orosco before lofting a fly into short center field. Sax, backpedaling all the way, made the catch and almost ran over shortstop Alfredo Griffin in the process. Bonilla followed with a pop-up into shallow right field that Sax also ran down.

After Wednesday night’s outing, Orosco has kept all five inherited runners he has faced from scoring.

“That’s why I’m here,” said Orosco, who got Van Slyke on a slider and Bonilla on a fastball. “Day in, day out, I want to do the job.”

Orosco gave way to Howell, who hadn’t pitched since logging a save in Hershiser’s last start against St. Louis last week. Howell wasn’t as effective this time, allowing two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth.

But the Dodger lead never was seriously jeopardized. That’s because Dodger hitters rolled a 7 at Pirate loser Vicente Palacios and added another run in the seventh off Jeff Robinson.

The victory improved the Dodgers’ record to 16-8 and put them 1 1/2 games ahead of second-place Houston in the National League West.

The Pirates, who began the series in first place in the East, left town a battered team after the three-game sweep.

The Dodgers scored 28 runs against what had been a solid Pirate pitching staff.

Leading the Dodger attack Wednesday night was Gibson, who hit his third home run in the last six games and has hit in safely in 18 of his last 20 games.

Guerrero went 3 for 5 with a ground-rule double and a stand-up triple. Sax and Heep had three hits each for the Dodgers, who racked up 32 hits in two nights against the Pirates.

Pirate Manager Jim Leyland did not take the sweep of the Dodgers in stride. Instead, he unleashed a tirade at his team for five minutes afterward.

“We played very poorly,” Leyland said after the screaming session. “I don’t mind losing three in a row or six in a row as long as we’re doing our business. But I don’t like it when (the players) think that it’s programmed, that it’s bound to happen.”

Meanwhile, Dodger players are starting to think winning is bound to happen whenever Hershiser pitches. “Even when Orel doesn’t have his best stuff, he can win,” catcher Mike Scioscia said. “That’s why he’s a great pitcher.”

Dodger Notes

Pittsburgh outfielder John Cangelosi, pressed into a desperation pitching situation Tuesday night, pitched very well. He threw two scoreless innings, allowing only a double by Mike Marshall. But Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda says he has witnessed a more impressive pitching outing by an outfielder. It happened in 1971, when Lasorda managed the Dodgers’ Triple-A team in Spokane, Wash. “I brought in Bobby Darwin, who we signed as a pitcher and then converted to an outfielder,” Lasorda said. “He struck out (Mike) Schmidt, (Greg) Luzinski and (Bob) Boone (of the Eugene Emeralds). The only problem was he couldn’t raise his arm for a month after that.”. . . The Dodgers are off today and open a 7-game trip in St. Louis on Friday.