Hansen Pinches Himself After Getting Record : Baseball: Lineup shenanigans help him set Dodger mark for pinch hits during 5-2 victory over Reds.

Dave Hansen might have been assured of a place in Dodger history because of the club’s willingness to skewer tradition.

Hansen had three hits Monday night during a 5-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, including a run-scoring pinch-hit single in the first inning that set a club record for pinch hits in a season.

The first-inning single against Jose Rijo (13-8) was Hansen’s 18th pinch hit of the season, moving him ahead of Mitch Webster, who had set the record last year.

“I grew up in California,” said Hansen, who drove in three runs Monday. “The Dodgers were my team. To be in the record books of an organization that has such a long history--I’ll treasure that for a long time, whether it’s broken soon or not.”

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda had been doing everything he could to give Hansen a shot at the record.

Last Wednesday, Lasorda listed Orel Hershiser as the Dodger third baseman for a game in San Diego. Hansen came to bat in that spot in the first inning, making that at-bat a pinch hit.

The Dodgers used the same tactic Monday, listing Pedro Martinez as the third baseman. Hansen’s single to center made him 18 for 52 (.346) with 18 runs batted in off the bench.

Hansen appreciated the Dodgers stretching the rules to get him extra pinch hits. Rijo did not object, either.

“That’s a good thing to do,” Rijo said. “The guy has a chance and there’s nothing else going on, so go ahead and do it.”

Rijo had his worst night of the season as the Reds’ losing streak reached 10 games, their longest in two years. The last time they lost more was 1966, when they dropped 11 in a row.

Rijo gave up 11 hits--the most the right-hander has given up this season--and the Dodgers became the first team to score more than two runs against him since the All-Star break.

Lenny Harris’ solo homer during the second inning and Mike Piazza’s run-scoring groundout in the fifth gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead. Hansen added a two-run double in the seventh.

Ramon Martinez (10-10) gave up four hits and struck out seven in seven innings.