This Gross Outing Has Nice Look : Dodgers: Pitcher who was 0-3 with an ERA of 12.19 limits the Giants to one run in six innings of a 7-3 victory.

Early in Sunday’s game at Dodger Stadium, the DiamondVision scoreboard ended a bloopers tape with an angry batter breaking a bat over his leg after being struck out on a perfect slider.

The dominating young Philadelphia Phillies’ pitcher in the scene was Kevin Gross.

Those who didn’t believe it needed only to look at the mound where, finally, Dodger fans saw that pitcher in person.

Backed into a corner by boos and criticism, Gross came out fighting Sunday, saving his job and reputation by allowing one run in six innings in the Dodgers’ 7-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants before 48,089.

“That guy throwing that nasty slider in that video, that was the Kevin Gross that we all know, and that everybody around here finally saw,” reliever Jim Gott said. “What a boost for the team.”

And what a rescue for Gross, who was headed for the bullpen if he did not improve upon a horrible start during which he was 0-3 with a 12.19 earned-run average after going 0-4 in spring training.

Backed by four Dodgers runs and two Giant errors in the first three innings, Gross allowed only four hits in his six innings and struck out nine, equaling a Dodgers high this season.

He was so dominating, he struck out seven of the nine starters at least once while allowing no walks after giving up nine in his previous 10 1/3 innings. This included striking out Will Clark, Mark Leonard and Matt Williams in order in the fourth inning after Willie McGee hit his second home run in two days.

Gross was so overpowering, Giant Manager Roger Craig held a closed-door meeting for 15 minutes afterward to scold his players.

“I just hope this quiets all the people who have been on my butt for starting him,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said. “I know why we started him. We’ve all known why we started him.”

Gross’ biggest problem was that because he left the game between innings, the same fans who had been booing him did not have a chance to cheer him properly.

“Yes, I have heard the booing. I have heard everything,” he said afterward. “But I have not paid attention to anything. I know everybody has been trying to bury me, but I did not want to put more pressure on myself.

“I could have screamed and yelled. I could have cried, but why? I figured, I could do one of two things: I could either keep busting my butt every day or just throw the ball up there and let them kick my butt.”

He paused and smiled.

“And I wasn’t going to let them kick my butt,” he said.

While giving the Dodgers their third win in this four-game series and sending them on their East Coast trip this week with a 10-9 record, Gross won for only the second time since June 11, 1990.

Gross hopes that now he is relaxed, this will be the first victory of many.

“It’s just a relief to pitch good, to show everybody what I can do,” Gross said. “One of the reasons the new guys have had problems, including myself, is because we have been trying too hard.

“Playing at home here for me is a like a dream come true. Heck, I want to spend the rest of my career here. I want to do so much.”

Also showing some things Sunday were Chris Gwynn, who made a surprise start in place of sore-kneed Kal Daniels.

Gwynn was in the middle of the Dodgers’ three-run first inning outburst when he drew a walk from Giant starter and loser John Burkett after falling behind one and two. The walk loaded the bases after Darryl Strawberry had singled in the first run.

A botched grounder by Robby Thompson gave the Dodgers their second run of the inning, and Mike Sharperson drew another walk for the Dodgers’ third run.

Gwynn singled to start the third inning, then scored on a grounder by Sharperson to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. After McGee homered to make it 4-1, Brett Butler hit his second career homer at Dodger Stadium.

Butler’s drive, the 40th of his career, gave the Dodgers a 5-1 lead that withstood two late Giants runs against reliever Jay Howell.

“I thought it was just a fly ball. . . . I guess it was my brute force that got it over the fence,” said Butler with a smile.

The day ended with Gross sitting alone in the Dodger clubhouse, slowly dressing while wearing the first big smile he has worn since the start of the season.

Gross, a noted hard worker, is often the first player in the clubhouse in the afternoon. For once, he was also the last.

“That’s one reason why we are all so happy for him,” Gott said. “We have all seen him in the back rooms of this place, early in the afternoon, his shirt drenched in sweat, working his butt off. To see this type of character finally get these types of results. . . .

“Yeah, this shows the real Kevin Gross.”

DODGER ATTENDANCE Sunday’s Attendance: 48,089

1991 Attendance (10 dates): 436,761

1990 Attendance (10 dates): 373,405

Increase: 63,356

Average: 43,676