Murray’s Dramatic Timing Gives Dodgers Big Lift, 8-3 : Baseball: He comes out of dugout with slight limp to hit a score-tying, three-run home run in the seventh inning.

It’s still September, and Kirk Gibson plays in a different league, but those goose bumps at Dodger Stadium Wednesday looked familiar.

In one of the more dramatic Dodger moments since Gibson did you-know-what in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, Eddie Murray limped to home plate as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and hit a three-run home run to give the Dodgers a 3-3 tie with the St. Louis Cardinals.

In the next inning the Dodgers scored five times, giving them an 8-3 victory before 32,372 fans, many of whom kept chanting, “Edd-die, Edd-die.”

Throughout the game Manager Tom Lasorda had kept pleading on the bench: “We can’t lose.”

The victory gave the Dodgers’ sole possession of first place for the first time since Aug. 26 because the Atlanta Braves lost to the Montreal Expos.

It was not a moment too soon, because, beginning Friday in Pittsburgh, the Dodgers play 11 games in 10 days in four cities. The trip ends with a weekend series Sept. 13-15 at Atlanta.

The Dodgers have lost 21 of their last 27 road games.

“All I could think of after Atlanta lost today was, we had to win this game and get on that plane (today) one game up,” Lasorda said. “All I could think was that we had to win this game.”

It appeared bleak with two out in the seventh inning against rookie pitcher Rheal Cormier, who was leading, 3-0, and had given up only four hits.

“It looked like he had the game all the way,” Alfredo Griffin said. “It looked like he had it easy.”

Then Mike Sharperson singled to right. And Griffin singled to left. At the time, Murray was in the trainer’s room. He had missed a start for the ninth time this year with a mildly sprained left ankle that caused pain in his lower back. But he had told Lasorda that he could hit if necessary. So Lasorda sent coach Bill Russell to the trainer’s room to get Murray.

“I figured, if I ever needed a home run, it was right now,” Lasorda said. “I had Murray for one shot. I figured we may not get this chance again. I had to go for it.”

Mitch Webster was sent toward home plate as a pinch-hitter for Tim Belcher in case Murray was not ready. After all, Murray did not even put on his uniform until the middle of the game.

Webster had nearly reached the plate when he heard shouting from the dugout. On the field, Sharperson heard shouting from the fans.

“Then I look and see Eddie coming out of the tunnel, walking out of the dugout, and everybody is going wild,” Sharperson said. “I said to myself, ‘I wonder if this will be like Kirk Gibson?’ ”

Cormier and Murray battled to a 2-and-2 count. On the next pitch, Murray checked his swing. The Cardinals thought it was strike three. Umpire Doug Harvey called it a ball for a full count.

“I’m afraid to say anything until I consult my lawyer, but this was case of (hurting) the kid and protecting the veteran player,” Cardinal Manager Joe Torre said. “Murray is a good hitter, especially when you give him four strikes.”

Recalled Griffin: “Pedro Guerrero (the Cardinals’ first baseman) told me that Murray had swung, but I told him that when Murray swings, he will know it, because Murray is going to hit a home run. Then all of a sudden--boom.”

After fouling off a sixth pitch behind the plate, Murray connected. For a moment, it appeared left fielder Milt Thompson would catch it at the wall. But Thompson leaped and the ball sailed over the 370-foot marker.

The fans stood and chanted until Murray emerged from the dugout, tipping his cap in one of the few curtain calls at Dodger Stadium this season. It was Murray’s fourth home run in five days, and his 16th of the season.

It was his second pinch-hit home run in only 18 pinch-hit appearances in his 15-year career. His other one, in 1989, also came during a Dodger victory. One inning after Murray’s heroics, Kal Daniels led off with a single against reliever Bob McClure. Tom Goodwin, a pinch-runner, stole second, and pinch-hitter Lenny Harris walked intentionally. Then, Sharperson singled to score the go-ahead run against Scott Terry.

Before this season, Murray had a career average of .312 during September and October.

In four days of this September, he has seven hits in 12 at-bats with three homers and eight runs batted in. He has also hit in nine consecutive games, with a .467 average during that time.

Murray was not available for comment afterward, but his teammates spoke highly of him.

“I didn’t mind getting all the way to home plate and then coming back for Murray,” Webster said. “Shoot, I wouldn’t have minded if they called me back with a 3-and-0 count.”