Piazza Hits 33rd Homer in Dodgers’ Loss to Cubs

It has been eight years since a Dodger hit 33 home runs, the most any Los Angeles Dodger player has ever hit. Steve Garvey did it in 1977; Pedro Guerrero in 1985. And Mike Piazza did it Monday night, when he hit a 1-0 pitch by Chicago Cubs’ pitcher Jose Bautista (10-3) over the center-field wall in the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 7-3 loss.

It was the 17th time one of Piazza’s home runs traveled 400 feet or more, and this one dropped over the fence into area where fans don’t sit, making it easy for security guards to retrieve the treasure.

“I remember all those guys, Penguin (Ron Cey), Dusty Baker, Reggie (Smith),” Piazza said. “Just to be in that group and the category of the power hitter, I can’t really explain it. I feel fortunate, and I’ve had a great group of guys on the team who have kept my nose down and not allowed me to forget I’m a rookie. . . .

“My only goal coming into the year was stay here the whole year and not get sent down.”

But despite Piazza’s accomplishments, it still wasn’t enough for the Dodgers, who suffered their third consecutive loss.

Orel Hershiser (12-13) seemed destined to lose this game from the start, when the Cubs scored three runs in the first inning--all unearned--even though a couple of the Cubs’ four hits in the inning were hit pretty hard.

It was uphill from there for Hershiser, who, except for Sammy Sosa’s homer in the fourth inning, pitched well before being lifted with a 4-3 deficit in the seventh inning for a pinch-hitter.

Hershiser was 4-0 with a 2.11 earned-run average in his last six starts entering the game, but it figured that the Cubs would stop his four-game winning streak. They stopped another one earlier this season.

In his 10th season as a Dodger, Hershiser has the longest consecutive service with one team of any National League pitcher. And he will be a Dodger next season, along with most of the other players on the team.

Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, doesn’t plan too many changes for next year, and--pointing to Piazza among others as the direction the club is going--says he will look to the club’s minor league players first.

Todd Worrell struggled again Monday night, giving up three runs in two innings to blow open a 4-3 game.

Dodger Notes

This is the first season since 1972 that the Cubs have five 10-plus game winners. . . . Randy Myers pitched 1 1/3 innings for his 50th save. . . . With the National League West race still ongoing, the Dodgers have changed their pitching around for the four-game series against the San Francisco Giants, which begins Thursday at Dodger Stadium. Pedro Martinez, who has pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings in four relief appearances against the Giants, has been put back in the bullpen in the set-up role and will not get another start this season. Tom Candiotti, who has given up two earned runs in 24 1/3 innings in three starts against the Giants, will pitch in the opening game against Bill Swift. Candiotti will be followed by Ramon Martinez, Orel Hershiser and Kevin Gross.