Dodgers’ Biggest Inning Is a Breeze : Baseball: Reserves spark seven-run eighth as L.A. avoids sweep at Wrigley.

The best way to describe the Dodger offense is to liken it to the weather here this time of the year.

Who knows what it’s going to be like?

When the game began Wednesday between the Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs, the temperature at Wrigley Field was 75 degrees--warm enough even for Darryl Strawberry to play. But a wind blowing toward home plate caused a drop of 14 degrees by the end of the second inning. Strawberry was gone by the fifth, leaving a team whose bats had stiffened along with his back.

But Cory Snyder, who took over in right field for Strawberry, sparked a seven-run rally in the eighth inning when he doubled home the tying run and scored the winner on Mike Piazza’s single in a 9-3 victory over the Cubs before 23,518. The victory kept the Dodgers (14-19) from being swept in the three-game series, a feat the Cubs haven’t accomplished here since 1972.

The seven-run inning, off four pitchers, was the most the Dodgers have scored in an inning this season. Five reserves contributed to the rally, including Mitch Webster, who went three for five. Webster started for Eric Davis, who aggravated a muscle in his rib cage Tuesday.

“What those guys (reserves) did today is what we thought we had when we came out of spring training, a real good bench,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said.

Even starter Kevin Gross outlasted Strawberry, a feat in itself. For the first time in four starts, Gross made it to the seventh inning. But a line drive to center by Jose Vizcaino scored Rey Sanchez from second base to break a 2-2 tie and send Gross to the showers.

The Dodgers had averaged 5.2 runs in Gross’ previous six starts, but most of those runs had come after Gross left the game.

This time, reliever Roger McDowell (1-0) was the benefactor of the Dodger rally, getting the victory despite throwing only one pitch.

“I have had a few bad outings, and the way I pitched today is what I have been looking for,” said Gross, who gave up three earned runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. “I just want to pitch consistent and throw strikes and give the club a better opportunity to win, and that’s what I did today.”

The Dodgers, trailing, 3-2, sent 12 batters to the plate in the eighth inning against Cub starter Mike Morgan (2-6) and three relievers.

Snyder, Piazza, Dave Hansen, Brett Butler and Mike Sharperson knocked in runs during the big inning.

So the Dodgers left Chicago with a victory, glad to be done with Vizcaino.

It was the third time in three games that Vizcaino, who was traded to the Cubs by the Dodgers in 1990, has knocked the Dodger starter out of the game. Vizcaino, whose 14-game hitting streak is the most in the National League this season, went three for five and is batting .376.

The Dodgers signed Vizcaino as a shortstop, but moved him to second base to make room for Jose Offerman. Vizcaino was traded for infielder Greg Smith, whom the Dodgers released a year later.

“They wanted a power-hitting second baseman and they thought Greg would do better,” Vizcaino said.

Offerman, who is hitting .277, knocked in the Dodgers’ first run with a triple in the second inning and is batting a team-high .522 with runners in scoring position. But he also made two errors in Wednesday’s game--neither costly--to give him nine in 33 games. Offerman, who is angry with reporters, said the other day that he is just going to do his job and “zipper your mouths.”

But Vizcaino said it’s not the media that has put the pressure on Offerman, but the Dodger organization. “They didn’t have to sign a backup like Kevin Elster (who is in double-A San Antonio),” Vizcaino said. “Jose is healthy and they have other players to fill in for him if he gets hurt. “