Five-Run Fifth Powers Dodgers Past Giants, 7-4 : Baseball: DeShields fuels outburst with a two-run double. Hershiser goes distance for first time this season.

The return of Delino DeShields might be the spark the Dodgers need to stay atop the Western Division.

The second baseman, recently returned from the disabled list, hit a key two-run double in a five-run fifth inning Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium that gave the Dodgers a 7-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

The victory prevented a Giant sweep of the series and put the Dodgers 3 1/2 games ahead of Colorado and 6 1/2 in front of the Giants.

Orel Hershiser, who had lost four in a row, looked sharp when he kept the ball down. But every time he got the ball up, the Giants knocked the pitch out of the park. They hit four home runs, two by Todd Benzinger and one apiece for Matt Williams and Barry Bonds.

But Hershiser gave up only one other hit as he went the distance for the first time this season. He also hustled home from first on DeShields’ double, providing the run that put the Dodgers ahead to stay.

Benzinger’s second home run in the seventh cut the lead to 6-4, but from then on, Hershiser had things under control, retiring the last eight to improve to 4-4.

Mike Piazza and Raul Mondesi homered in the fifth. Piazza greeted reliever Dave Burba with his 19th home run, his fourth home run in the last four games.

Mondesi’s 12th homer began the demise of Brian Hickerson (2-7), a left-hander who befuddled the Dodgers for four innings.

In his seven games since returning, DeShields has hit safely in all of them and is 12 for 19.

“With him healthy, we are a much better club,” Manager Tom Lasorda said.

Lasorda dismissed the Giants’ four home runs. “The Giants are a dangerous team,” he said. “They have a lot of guys who hit the long ball.”

Hershiser was simply glad the home runs were all with the bases empty.

“A solo home run can be a rally buster,” he said. “What makes you wonder about your pitching is when they get a single here, a double there and then a gapper. That’s when you get to feeling you don’t have it.

“I thought I pitched much better. I feel I’m getting there. I was a bit concerned about control and I gave in too quickly--and four times the Giants made me pay for it.”

Hershiser’s next outing will be Sunday against former Dodger Fernando Valenzuela, making a comeback with the Phillies.

“Even if I weren’t pitching I wouldn’t want to miss Fernando’s return,” Hershiser said. “It will be something special for both of us.”

Giant Manager Dusty Baker said that it was Hershiser’s at-bat in the fifth that was the key play. “He’s up there to bunt and we walk him,” Baker said. “That was the big play of the game.”

Rookie Rafael Bournigal, making a strong bid to make his role as interim shortstop permanent, had two hits, including a run-scoring triple in the sixth before being victimized by the hidden ball trick.

Bournigal’s one-out single kept the fifth-inning going. But after Hickerson walked Hershiser, he seemed about to wriggle out with a lead when Brett Butler looked at a third strike.

DeShields made a loser out of Hickerson when he drilled a pitch into left-center field. Bournigal scored easily, and Hershiser followed a little later.

In the second inning, Benzinger, a left-handed hitter, hit an opposite field drive into the bleachers for the first hit of the game and his sixth home run of the season.

Then, in the fourth, Williams drove a pitch into the left-field seats and the Giants had a 2-0 lead. But Mondesi hit his 12th homer to open the fifth. Bournigal singled with one out and Hershiser, up to bunt, drew a walk. After Brett Butler was called out on strikes, DeShields doubled to left-center to score two runs.

Piazza greeted reliever Dave Burba with his 19th home run to complete the five-run inning. The Dodgers made it 6-3 in the sixth when Bournigal’s two-out triple scored Mondesi from first.