BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Trading Places: Reds Pursuers Now

Don’t look now, but here come the Cincinnati Reds. Last season’s National League West champions, who led from wire to wire, have surged the last two weeks, moving past the Atlanta Braves Sunday into second place, three games behind the Dodgers.

“We’re not keeping an eye on nobody,” said infielder Lenny Harris, who came up through the Red system. “We’re just going out and playing hard. . . . Let them catch us. Last year we were the ones chasing them and watching. We’ll just keep on playing whoever’s scheduled next.”

Eddie Murray’s home run was his first in 86 at-bats. He said he was simply trying to make contact. “I haven’t been getting much of anything. I was not thinking about a home run, necessarily,” he said.

The Dodgers haven’t lost a series since losing two games in a row in Montreal April 30-May 1. . . .

The Dodgers improved their record in day games to 13-6, best in the National League. Kal Daniels was hitless in four at-bats but is still the team’s hottest hitter in June with 10 hits in 17 at-bats. He increased his average 39 points in the four games before Sunday’s. . . . Juan Samuel got three hits to increase his average to .335. Two were perfect hit-and-run singles to right after hits by Brett Butler. . . . Gary Carter also had a hit-and-run single in the sixth, scoring Murray.