Killing Them Softly: Dodgers Beat Reds, 8-2, With 13 Singles

The Dodgers, distant bridesmaids at best in the National League West this season, made the singles scene Monday night, coupling that with Tim Belcher’s pitching and one timely Eddie Murray home run.

That scene, in which 13 of their 16 hits were for one base, resulted in an 8-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds before 19,699 at Dodger Stadium, witnesses all to see:

--Belcher throw a no-hitter into the fifth inning and ultimately, with the help of relievers Ray Searage and Alejandro Pena, even his record at 12-12 and tie his win total from last season.

“It’s now back at .500,” he said. “Now I’m in position, with three starts remaining, to win more games than I did last year. For a second-year player, that might not seem like a real lofty goal, but that’s a goal I set for myself coming in.”

--John Shelby go four for four, after getting three hits Sunday at San Diego, and rob Cincinnati’s Eric Davis of his second home run of the night with a great catch late.

“The biggest turnaround for me was going back to Albuquerque,” he said. “A lot of people look at it as a downgrade at the end of a career, but I was looking at it as a blessing. . . . All I really wanted was a chance to get going again.”

--The Dodgers get going offensively, again, after hitting the Padres for 14 runs and 19 hits the day before. One of the game’s worst-hitting teams is looking anything but.

“(Ron) Robinson wasn’t a pitcher tonight,” Red Manager Tommy Helms said of his starter, if that’s what he was. “They hit every damn thing he threw up there. Sometimes a club gets hot. They have two pretty good games.”

In winning for the fourth time in five decisions, Belcher pitched 6 1/3 solid innings. He gave up leadoff walks in the first and second innings, but quickly settled down. The Reds didn’t get another baserunner until Todd Benzinger’s single to open the fifth and Mariano Duncan added a hit one batter later, but Belcher survived, shutout intact.

That disappeared in the sixth, when Davis launched his 31st home run into the left-field bleachers--the Reds’ other run came on a Joe Oliver homer in the seventh off Searage--but not the lead.

“I just didn’t make any good pitches in the seventh inning,” Belcher said. “The wheels came off in a hurry. Fortunately, we had eight runs, and Ray came in and did a super job.”

The Dodgers opened their next-to-last home stand of the season tied for 10th in the National League in hitting and having scored two runs or fewer in seven of the previous 13 games. Worse, hitting Coach Ben Hines said, is that they’re last among the 12 teams in leaving men on base, an average of 7.4 per game.

“It’s very frustrating, and you feel it,” he said before the game. “But it’s not because of a lack of work; all the guys are working very hard on their hitting. They constantly want extra work, so much so that sometimes I have to shut them down. I don’t want them getting tired arms from batting practice.

“But I think there are some positive signs. Every now and then, there’s a bright spot, like yesterday. We also had a big night at Cincinnati and we hit (Mike) Scott well in Houston, and he’s always tough against us.”

The Dodgers wasted little time Monday in adding to the good feelings after the 14-run, 19-hit outburst the day before at San Diego, shelling Ron Robinson for five runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. Frustration belonged to the Reds’ starter, who was looking to improve on his 2-7 lifetime mark against Los Angeles.

He couldn’t even get out of the fourth inning. After getting a run in the second when Jeff Hamilton led off with a double, took third on John Shelby’s infield single and scored on the wild pitch that also allowed Jose Gonzalez to reach first after striking out, the Dodgers resorted to more profound methods their next at-bat: Eddie Murray’s 18th home run on the first pitch from Robinson.

It came after a pair of one-out singles by Randolph and Lenny Harris, the second of his four straight hits and gave Belcher the only cushion he would need. That also gave Murray three three-run homers in the last five games.

After Harris’ single to right scored Alfredo Griffin in the fourth inning, Robinson was gone, having been battered for five runs and 10 hits. Rick Mahler faced only one batter and escaped damage, but the same could not be said for his replacement, Bob Sebra, who allowed three runs and five hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Dodger Notes

This marked the first visit to Dodger Stadium for Tim Leary and Mariano Duncan since they were traded from Los Angeles to Cincinnati July 18 in exchange for Kal Daniels and Lenny Harris. “I feel great,” said Duncan, who was greeted with a mixture of applause and boos during pregame introductions and when he came to bat the first time. “It’s nothing special, nothing different. I know I used to play for the other team, but that’s in the past. I worry about the Reds now.” Duncan began the night batting .246 in his 37 games with the Reds, and is slightly below .248 overall. Leary, who is scheduled to pitch Wednesday at San Francisco, is 2-6 with Cincinnati (8-13 overall), but the Reds have scored just five runs in the six losses. “If I was pitching here, I’d probably be fired up,” he said. “But since I’m not, I can relax a bit and enjoy the time I’m here with family and friends.” Duncan is making it a point to play this series like any other. “I don’t want to put any pressure on myself,” he said.

The Dodgers and Reds conclude their season series tonight, when Fernando Valenzuela (10-12) faces Tom Browning (15-11).