Gross Gives Dodgers a Pick-Me-Up, 6-3 : Baseball: In relief of Hershiser, he has nine strikeouts in five innings. Strawberry hits a home run and RBI single.

In Orel Hershiser’s 12th appearance since his comeback, a Dodger pitcher was as fierce as a bulldog, working out of jams with strikeouts and pumping fists.

But it was not Orel Hershiser, it was Kevin Gross.

After replacing Hershiser with the score tied, 3-3, after four innings, Gross shut down the New York Mets with five scoreless innings and nine strikeouts to lead the Dodgers to a 6-3 victory Wednesday night before 47,204 at Dodger Stadium.

“I was pretty intense out there,” Gross said with a red-faced smile. “I was just riding it out.”

In ending the eventful home stand with a 7-2 record, despite being held hitless in nine innings twice, the Dodgers were led offensively by Darryl Strawberry. His fourth-inning home run helped them pull into a 3-3 tie, then his fifth-inning, run-scoring single gave them a 4-3 lead they never lost.

But the hero was Gross, a converted relief pitcher who prepares for each game that Hershiser starts as if he were a starter again. It paid off Wednesday because Hershiser was removed before the fifth inning for the third time in four starts, even though he appeared to be settling down.

Hershiser struggled in three of the first four innings, giving up three runs and six hits while the Mets left six runners on base.

But the game had just been tied when it was his turn to bat in the fourth inning. And he had only thrown 58 pitches, the lowest in a start since he has come back from shoulder surgery.

Nonetheless, with a runner on first base and two out, he was replaced by pinch-hitter Dave Hansen.

“I think it was a good decision,” Hershiser said of his removal. “I walked up the tunnel again on a positive note, and with a day off tomorrow, Tommy (Lasorda) wanted to used the bullpen.

“With my recent history of having trouble in the later innings, and our offensive history in this home stand, it was the proper decision.”

Hershiser’s earned-run average rose to 4.19 while his ERA in his last seven starts--despite six shutout innings in his last start--is 5.73. Fred Claire, Dodger vice president, maintained that Hershiser’s starting role is not in jeopardy.

“As long as Orel feels good, we will continue with the steps we are taking, with Orel starting,” Claire said.

Not that Gross wasn’t ready to take over. He has been in these situations before.

He allowed the Mets one run in 6 1/3 innings while picking up the victory July 18 in New York. He held the Atlanta Braves scoreless for four innings in recording a save June 30 in Atlanta.

He is the epitome of a long reliever. And a bold one.

Gross, who has struck out 16 batters during his last 9 2/3 innings, ended four consecutive Met threats with strikeouts.

--With two out and runners on first and second in the fifth, he struck out Kevin Elster.

--With two out and runner on first and third in the sixth, he struck out Kevin McReynolds.

--With two out and a runner on third in the seventh, he struck out pinch-hitter Tommy Herr.

--With two out and a runner on first in the eighth, he struck out Dave Magadan.

“Yeah, I would like to start again, sometime, somewhere,” Gross said. “But right now, I’m just having fun helping us win. Right now, what I’m doing is fine.”

After Strawberry’s 13th homer pulled the Dodgers to within 3-2 against relief pitcher Tim Burke in the fourth, Kal Daniels and Gary Carter each singled. Then pinch-hitter Lenny Harris tied it with a grounder.

In the fifth, Brett Butler led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a grounder. He scored the eventual winning run on Strawberry’s single against reliever Doug Simons.