Seven Hours Only Worth Dodger Split : Baseball: Hansen is hero in 11th inning of 1-0 victory in first game, but Expos beat Astacio, 4-1, in second game.

No matter how hot, humid and sometimes rainy it was through seven-plus hours of baseball Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, nothing could cloud the fact that the Dodgers’ three-day doubleheader marathon with the Montreal Expos was finally over.

Physically and mentally drained, the Dodgers managed to split the final doubleheader with the Expos to finish the six-game series at three victories each.

The Dodgers now have only four games remaining on this grueling 22-game home stand, the likes of which Manager Tom Lasorda says he has never seen.

“In all my years, this is the first time this has ever happened,” Lasorda said. “That’s what John Dillinger said when he was dying, ‘It’s the first time this has ever happened.’

Dave Hansen drove in the only run in the 11th inning of the first game for the Dodgers’ 1-0 victory, giving Hansen and the Dodgers a much-needed boost of confidence.

But Pedro Astacio, the 22-year-old rookie who threw a shutout Friday in his major league debut, did not fare quite as well in his second start. Wednesday night, he gave up four runs, three of them earned, and nine hits through seven innings. And the Dodgers couldn’t back him up with runs in a 4-1 loss to the Expos.

Because of Astacio, the Dodgers’ clubhouse was closed a little longer than usual after the game so Lasorda could tell him he was on his way back to Albuquerque. He had left the clubhouse by the time reporters were allowed to enter.

“He knew that this was coming, we needed his help through this time and he gave it to us,” Lasorda said. “He pitched two ballgames and (his record) could have just as easily been 2-0 as 1-1. It helped his confidence. He said: ‘I know I can pitch in the major leagues.’ ”

This series helped the confidence of Hansen as well. Forecast by Dodger executives to be third baseman of the future, in the near-future they hope, Hansen’s line drive to left with two out in the 11th inning finally ended a game that lasted 4 hours 29 minutes.

Under a sky that was gloomy and rainy for much of the first game, a small crowd at Dodger Stadium that eventually grew to 27,601 seemingly provided more action putting their umbrellas up and down than the players did on the field.

The sun didn’t come out until the 10th inning after Marquis Grissom lost Jose Offerman’s pop-up in the lights. The ball dropped right in front of him. It was only 4:07 p.m., but the lights were on and the game was already four hours long.

In the 11th, Eric Davis led off the inning with a single to left and, one out later, Darryl Strawberry pulled a single to right. Lenny Harris loaded the bases on a fielding error by first baseman Arci Cianfrocco. But Matt Maysey, who replaced loser Sergio Valdez (0-1), pitched to Mike Scioscia, who forced Davis at the plate.

That put Hansen up with the bases loaded.

“I had to take a pitch when the count was 2-0, and again at 3-1,” Hansen said. “But at 3-2, I was just trying to put it in play. He threw me a pitch away, and it worked out perfectly, especially since I flied out before. It was a redeemer.”

Strawberry scored the only run, his first since May 12 in a game at Montreal. “The more plate appearances I get, the more I keep plugging away,” said Strawberry, who pinch-hit for Mitch Webster in the ninth and stayed in the game.

The Dodgers had plenty of chances to score, and many of them came with Mike Sharperson at the plate, but he was hitless in five at-bats. Sharperson, who pulled a groin muscle Tuesday night, stranded runners in scoring position to end three innings and also hit into two double plays. He also made two errors on one play. He did not start the second game.

Montreal starter Brian Barnes gave up four hits in seven innings and starter Bob Ojeda scattered seven hits over 6 2/3 innings, but it was a long way from over when they left the game. Three Dodger pitchers later, Tom Candiotti retired the side in order in the 11th inning to even his record at 7-7.

“I’ve pitched a lot of innings and gotten no decision, so maybe it will work out in the end,” Candiotti said.

It looked for a moment as if Hansen might be the hero of both games. In the fourth inning of the second game, Hansen singled to left to score Harris from second to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. But the Dodgers didn’t score again.

The crowd was left to be entertained by the enthusiasm of Astacio. Once, on a grounder hit by Tom Foley, Astacio whirled around, stopped, then threw the ball so hard to first baseman Eric Karros from the mound that the crowd cheered. In the fifth inning, Offerman fielded a grounder by Grissom for the third out, but before he had a chance to throw to first base, Astacio was out of the infield, sprinting toward the dugout.

The Expos put the game, and Astacio, away in the seventh, when Delino DeShields led off with a home run, his fourth, to right-center field. Grissom followed with a routine grounder to Offerman, who bobbled it and threw it away to put Grissom on second. John VanderWal singled to put Grissom on third, and he scored easily on a sacrifice fly. Astacio struck out Wallach and Darrin Fletcher flied out. But that was all for Astacio, who was replaced by Steve Wilson to start the eighth. Bill Risley (1-0) got the victory for Montreal and Mel Rojas got the save.