Dodgers Know the Half of It Now : Baseball: They suffer their seventh one-run loss in eight defeats as Reds win in 10th inning, 4-3.

For the first time this season, the Dodgers finally showed some fight.

Lenny Harris yelled at the Cincinnati Reds’ Glenn Braggs, who then acted as if he wanted to detach Harris’ head from his body. This cleared the benches and bullpens, and earned Braggs a bearhug from Darryl Strawberry.

One problem. It happened after Braggs had slid into first base, beating a potential double-play throw from shortstop Jose Offerman and allowing the eventual winning run to score in the Reds’ 4-3, 10-inning victory at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night.

If the Dodgers don’t stay fighting mad tonight, they could find themselves in second place for the first time in 86 days.

With their victory over the San Francisco Giants, the Atlanta Braves moved to within a half-game of the lead in the National League West, as close as anybody has been to the Dodgers since June 4.

“It was a lot different when I played in New York--we definitely had a lot of fights,” Strawberry said after participating in his first bench-clearing incident as a Dodger.

“That was the kind of team that did not take any bull from anybody.

“I can’t say this team is any different . . . it’s just that we haven’t been tested yet.”

By beating out his grounder, Braggs allowed Paul O’Neill to score from third base and ruined two Dodger comebacks and a potential game-saving diving catch before 41,202.

With one out against loser Roger McDowell, O’Neill started the 10th by beating out a grounder that Offerman could not properly grip after making a backhanded stop. Chris Sabo then blooped a double to right field, setting up an intentional walk to Carmelo Martinez, loading the bases for Braggs.

Braggs hit a slow grounder to second baseman Juan Samuel, who threw to Offerman for one out, but Offerman had to avoid a high slide by Martinez and his throw to first could not beat the sliding Braggs.

After Jeff Reed forced Braggs to end the inning, the Dodgers thought Braggs slid a bit too hard into Samuel, who was covering second.

Samuel rolled the ball back-handed in Braggs’ direction as Samuel left the field, then, according to teammates, third baseman Harris made a crack.

Although benches cleared, no punches were thrown.

“Braggs slid kind of hard, he could have hurt Samuel on a routine play, and it made some of us mad,” Strawberry said. “Lenny said something, and then it started.”

Harris would not repeat his remark, saying only that, “The game is over.”

According to Braggs: “I wasn’t really mad at anybody, it’s just that Lenny said something, and I wanted to find out what he said.”

The Dodgers were retired in order by Rob Dibble in their half of the 10th and suffered their seventh one-run loss in their last eight defeats. It was a harder loss to take because they really thought they had the Reds on the run.

“When we came back for a second time to tie it up, I felt we took the momentum away from them,” Kal Daniels said.

“But the way I look at it is, we’re still in first place. The Braves still have to catch us.”

Strawberry said that even if the Braves catch the Dodgers, his team has the advantage.

“I’m actually not real worried about the Braves because we have played them so well,” he said, referring to the Dodgers eight victories in 12 games against the Braves. “That’s the key, how you play head to head.”

Daniels, who had earlier singled in a run and saved another run with a diving catch, started the Dodgers’ seventh with a single against relief pitcher Norm Charlton.

After moving to second on a wild pitch, Daniels scored on Strawberry’s single up the middle. At this point, it appeared the Dodgers could easily take the lead.

But lately, nothing has come easily to the Dodgers. Eddie Murray forced Larkin at second with a grounder. And Gary Carter grounded into a double play.

It was the Dodgers’ fourth smothered uprising. Their runners were stranded on second and third in the first inning. They were stranded on first and third in the fifth inning. They got three singles and a walk in the sixth inning--and scored one run.

The anticipated quick pitching duel between Mike Morgan and Tom Browning of Cincinnati lasted six innings. Each threw 101 pitches, and each allowed two runs, one unearned. Browning gave up eight hits, four more than Morgan.