Hershiser Throws a Curve, Straightens Out Dodgers : Baseball: He goes six strong innings against the Reds as L.A. ends losing streak, 5-2. Strawberry and Harris homer.

The Dodgers’ spirit cried for something uplifting Tuesday night. Something such as, say, a memory-jolting, steely performance by an embattled pitcher recovering from shoulder surgery.

Orel Hershiser was listening.

Saving his best start since surgery for one of the Dodgers’ biggest games this season, Hershiser rediscovered his curveball and his role as an inspiration by giving up one run in six innings during the Dodgers’ 5-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds before 33,271 at Riverfront Stadium.

Ending his night with a little hop for joy after he fooled Bill Doran into a popout to strand runners on first and second in the sixth inning, Hershiser put a missing bounce in the Dodgers’ step by leading them to their first victory after four consecutive losses on this trip.

Backed by home runs from Darryl Strawberry and Lenny Harris, the Dodgers broke an 11-game losing streak on artificial turf. It was their third victory in 17 road games, and one of the few times since the All-Star break they have stalled an Atlanta Braves team that won.

Suddenly, the Dodgers’ 2 1/2-game lead over the Braves, which seemed tiny after ace Ramon Martinez was beaten here Monday night, appears a little bigger.

“Ramon is the ace. I’m just the fifth starter, and I know that when I go to the mound, we just hope we don’t lose,” Hershiser said. “Well, I want to change that. I want to go out there and not look like I’m on rehab, but like I am really trying to win.”

For perhaps the first time in 13 comeback starts, Hershiser did not even remotely resemble someone in rehabilitation.

He threw a season-high 94 pitches: 65 strikes and 29 balls. He walked only one batter.

The only run he allowed came after shortstop Jose Offerman, fielding his first chance since replacing injured Alfredo Griffin, dropped a bouncer by Glenn Braggs in the second inning. He then threw the ball into the Reds’ dugout, allowing Doran to second after he had doubled.

The good news for the Dodgers was that a sliding catch by Strawberry in right field killed that uprising, holding the Reds to a 1-0 lead.

But the bad news was that Griffin underwent surgery on his right cheekbone Tuesday after injuring it here Monday, and will be out for four to six weeks.

“We’re putting pressure on Jose (Offerman) right away, but this is his chance to play, and those chances don’t come along very often,” coach Bill Russell said.

Offerman, who went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts while watching another grounder go under his glove, might have been weary after flying all day from the Dodger’ triple-A team in Albuquerque. The Dodgers hope so.

Another new Dodger fared better Tuesday. Roger McDowell, who proclaims himself a ground-ball pitcher, got four grounders from five batters. Two of those grounders came with a runner on second in the eighth inning, shortly before McDowell picked up his first save as a Dodger, his fourth overall.

It was also the first time McDowell had seen a Dodger victory since last week’s trade.

“My teammates were starting to call me, ‘Bad-Luck Schleprock,’ ” McDowell said.

Who?

“Ask Fred Flintstone,” McDowell said.

Nobody was having worse luck than Hershiser, who had a 5.73 earned-run average in his past seven starts before Tuesday. Overall he had a 4.19 ERA, the highest among Dodger starters.

“I know everybody has been on pins and needles when I’ve been out there, all wondering about me, all hoping I would do well,” Hershiser said. “In an important game like this, it was nice to be an unexpected pleasure. It was nice to deliver.”

He delivered with great control and a curveball that Harris termed “hellacious.”

That adjective appropriately described Hershiser’s best moment, after he walked Hal Morris and gave up a bunt single to Chris Sabo with one out in the sixth and the Dodgers leading, 4-1. O’Neill flied out, but then Hershiser fell behind 3-and-0 to Doran.

After working the count to 3-and-2, Hershiser did something that would have been unthinkable for him two months ago. He threw a full-count curveball, and Doran hit under it, knocking it into the air for an easy pop fly to second base that caused Hershiser to jump before running off the mound.

“To throw a curveball on 3-and-2 for the first time in 13 months and to be able to execute it like that . . . that was a pretty big pitch for me,” Hershiser said.

By then Hershiser had been given all he would need after a Strawberry homer had given the Dodgers the lead for the eighth time this season. It was his fourth homer in six games.

“I was up there in the dugout the whole game, telling everybody, ‘C’mon, this is just the beginning ,’ ” Strawberry said.