BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Strawberry May Give Sore Back Some Rest Today

Darryl Strawberry, nursing a sore back that trainers claim is not serious, said he may insist on staying on the bench today after the Dodgers took him up on his offer Saturday to play if needed.

“I actually asked for the day off, but told them if they needed me, I would play,” Strawberry said. “So I played. And it was not real fun.”

Strawberry, who had his back treated before the game, struck out twice and weakly grounded out once before leaving the game after the seventh inning.

“Right now, all we know is that it’s just tightness,” said Dr. Frank Jobe, who examined Strawberry Saturday morning.

Strawberry said his back began to hurt during the 13 innings in the cold air Friday night. He said it has hurt under these conditions before, and it has always felt better in a couple of days.

“I really don’t think it’s serious,” Strawberry said. “But I do think I might want to squeeze out one day of rest before trying it again.”

Tim Belcher did not want to discuss his 8 2/3 shutout innings in Friday’s 1-0, 13-inning loss. Belcher, who has not won since June 23, has two losses and six no-decisions during that time, including two games of at least seven innings with no earned runs.

“That game was just another eight innings of exercise,” said Belcher, 7-7 despite ranking among league leaders with a 2.76 earned-run average. “It would be good to keep me away from sharp objects right now.”

Bob Ojeda tested his sore right side by throwing for 10 minutes Saturday morning and pronounced himself fit for his next scheduled start Monday against Cincinnati at Dodger Stadium. “I’m not going to feel great but heck, I never feel great,” Ojeda said. “I’ll feel good enough to pitch.” . . . Mike Scioscia had a home run and a single despite suffering from bronchitis, which has kept him out of the lineup most of the last week. “I’ve felt bad for six days, and they say it would not get any worse if I played, so I wanted to play,” Scioscia said. “But I still feel bad. I just wonder if there’s any end in sight.”