Hamilton’s Hit Rallies Dodgers in 12th : Baseball: Hershiser’s effort is almost wasted when bullpen can’t hold lead in ninth. L.A. scores three in 12th to win, 6-5, and cut Braves’ margin to half a game.

After blowing a 2-1 lead and falling behind 3-2 in the ninth inning and 5-3 in the 12th, the Dodgers moved to within half a game of first place Monday night with a three-run rally to beat the Cincinnati Reds, 6-5.

The winning run scored on Jeff Hamilton’s bases-loaded single to center field, his first hit since May 31.

Before 30,676 at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers began the 12th trailing, 5-3, after rookie Chris Jones’ first major league home run and a bases-loaded walk to pitcher Ted Power in the top of the inning.

Darryl Strawberry started the 12th with a walk, and Eddie Murray drove in Strawberry with his first triple of the year. Two batters later, Eric Karros tied the score with his first major league hit and RBI, a run-scoring double. Jose Offerman was walked to load the bases, then Hamilton hit reliever Milt Hill’s first pitch over center fielder Billy Hatcher’s head to end the 4-hour 38-minute game.

After removing Orel Hershiser from the game with a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning even though he had given up only five hits, Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda watched his bullpen give up two runs in the ninth.

Less than day after surviving an 11-game trip with a 7-4 record, the Dodgers used nine pitchers, tying a club record.

The Dodgers also endured one of the strangest double plays of the season in the bottom of the 11th, costing themselves a chance to win it then.

With Offerman on third base after a walk, and Brett Butler on first after his infield single, Lenny Harris, who had tied the score in the ninth with a run-scoring single against Rob Dibble, hit a one-out grounder to third baseman Chris Sabo.

Sabo threw home, where umpire John McSherry ruled that Offerman, on a head-first slide, missed the plate. Jeff Reed tagged him then ran down to first base, where Butler had remained, as if he assumed Offerman was safe. Butler was tagged out to end the inning.

Perhaps the Dodgers would not have been in this situation if their bosses had left Hershiser in the game, which was his second consecutive impressive outing since missing 15 days with a stiff shoulder. In equaling his longest and best outing of the season, Hershiser gave up one run and five singles in seven innings.

Hershiser had thrown 73 pitches, including only 47 in his last five innings. It became even more confusing when there was no announcement made about shoulder trouble.

After abruptly removing Hershiser, Lasorda watched five members of his bullpen work out of one jam in the eighth inning before giving up two runs in the ninth to give the Reds a lead.

The tying run came on a run-scoring single to center by Billy Hatcher against reliever Kevin Gross, who gave up the go-ahead run moments later on a single to center field by Reed.

After Jim Gott worked out of a jam with one out and runners on first and third in the eighth, Gott gave up a single to Hal Morris to start the ninth and a dizzying parade of five pitchers for five batters.

By using five pitchers in one inning, the Dodgers tied a National League record held by many teams but last equaled in 1987.

--Gott was replaced by John Candelaria, who gave up a single to Carmelo Martinez, moving Morris to third.

--Candelaria was replaced by Roger McDowell, who fooled Sabo into a lineout to Harris at second.

--McDowell was replaced by Steve Wilson, who fooled Luis Quinones into a popout to first.

--Wilson was replaced by Gross, who gave up the consecutive hits by Hatcher and Reed to give the Reds the lead.

The Dodgers’ tying rally in the ninth came against Dibble, the second time this season they have tied the score or taken the lead in the ninth against him.

Dave Hansen, batting .310 as a pinch-hitter this year, started the inning with a single to right. Stan Javier then laid down a bunt that third baseman Sabo unwisely threw to second. The throw was late, and both runners were safe.

After Butler popped up a bunt, Harris hit a two-strike pitch to left field for a game-tying single.

If the Dodgers followed their normal rotation, Hershiser is next scheduled to pitch Saturday against the Atlanta Braves. But Monday afternoon, Tim Belcher was picked as the starting pitcher Friday. Ramon Martinez was given Saturday’s assignment. Mike Morgan was told to show up ready to start on Sunday.

However, Hershiser can still start Sunday if they decided not to pitch Morgan on three days’ rest for the first time this season. A final decision on that matter will probably be made after Morgan’s next start, Wednesday against Houston.

Since taking 15 days to work out recent stiffness, Hershiser has given up two runs in 13 innings covering two starts. He has struck out seven and walked none. He has not walked a batter since Aug. 7, a span of 30 2/3 innings.