BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Webster Brushes With Success

Mitch Webster will go anywhere to help his swing, even if it means spending an afternoon in a dark tunnel, scraping the end of his bat against a concrete wall.

That is what Webster was doing Tuesday at Riverfront Stadium before hitting his fourth home run of the season during the Dodgers’ 8-4 victory. He is batting .333 in his last 23 games with six doubles, a triple and a home run.

“I’m trying to hit inside the ball,” Webster said, explaining his unusual pregame ritual. “The bat should just brush the concrete. When it hits it harder, then I’m not doing it right.”

The Reds will have to survive the championship race with three injured regulars.

Bip Roberts has not started since Aug. 5 after suffering a neck injury when he ran into the outfield wall at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. Chris Sabo has not played since Saturday because of a right ankle that will require surgery after the season to correct a bone problem.

And Hal Morris is on the 15-day disabled list because of a pulled left hamstring suffered Aug. 5 while stretching. Doctors say Morris may not return until September.

Orel Hershiser offered some insight into his reluctance to talk after his last start, saying, “There is so much negative going on around here, anything anybody says can be construed as being negative even when it’s not. We should not be contributing to the steamroll.” . . . Only In Cincinnati: Marge Schott has offered a reward for information leading to the recovery of an on-deck circle stolen from Riverfront Stadium.