Dodgers Get a Big Rally After a Dose of Reality : Baseball: Lasorda gives an end-of-the-season speech before team scores four runs in the ninth to defeat Cincinnati, 6-3.

The realization began to sink in Wednesday, somewhere around the time that Brett Butler updated the players on their impending strike and clearly around the time that Manager Tom Lasorda gave his end-of-the-season speech, thanking his players for being a first-place team.

Those were only two of the meetings held before the Dodgers’ 6-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, in which they came from behind three times and won after scoring four runs in the ninth inning. It was only the third time in 43 games that the Dodgers have won when they trailed after eight innings, and the only time in 51 games the Reds have lost when they led after eight innings.

“We just didn’t give up tonight,” said Eric Karros, whose leadoff home run in the ninth inning against reliever Jeff Brantley (6-6) tied the score, 3-3. “After the last two games, it was a big win and with a possible work stoppage and tomorrow we face (Jose) Rijo.

“(The strike) will hit home tomorrow, but today Tommy came in and gave his end-of-year speech to us, and if (the strike) happens, it happens. Nobody really wants to stop playing, especially in the situation we are in. But our backs are against the wall and we really don’t have a lot of recourse but to go out.”

The Dodgers will play their final game today before Friday’s scheduled strike, which conceivably could end the season. If so, the Dodgers are in good position for a work stoppage, having clinched the top spot in the National League West on Sunday.

Their bench came through again in this game.

“The difference is Todd (Worrell)--because we are not swinging the bats like we were earlier (in the season),” said Mitch Webster, who led off the eighth inning with a pinch-hit double and eventually scored on a bouncer up the middle by Mike Piazza, which brought the Dodgers even at 2-2.

Worrell pitched the ninth inning, giving up a single and a fly ball by Tony Fernandez that Butler caught at the wall, but held the Reds scoreless to earn his 11th save.

But before Worrell came in, Ismael Valdes had relieved Kevin Gross to pitch the eighth inning and gave up the go-ahead run. Fernandez led off the inning by slashing a hard bunt by Valdes to a charging Delino DeShields--who was moved to shortstop when Webster hit for Rafael Bournigal. DeShields’ throw was late. Fernandez eventually scored on a two-out single to right by Thomas Howard.

“They know Bop (DeShields) was out there, and you don’t see to many hitters do that--it’s a tough play to make,” Bill Russell said.

Lasorda, who was managing in his 2,819th game, tying him for 16th on the all-time list, wasn’t even around to see the end of this game. Having been ejected after the sixth inning by home plate umpire Bob Davidson because he though Bret Boone interfered on a caught-stealing attempt, he left Russell in charge. Fernandez, who stole the base, scored after Boone doubled to put the Reds ahead, 2-1.

But in the ninth inning after Karros’ 14th home run--a solo shot over the center field fence--tied the score at 3-3, Raul Mondesi tripled into the gap in left-center, sliding so hard into third base that coach Joey Amalfitano got about as much dirt on him as Mondesi did.

“There was a lot of dirt,” Amalfitano said, “he is an exciting player.”

Against left-hander Chuck McElroy, who relieved Brantley, Russell sent up four consecutive left-handed hitters, not so much defying the percentages, but because there weren’t any right-handers left. And they all reached base, with Dave Hansen’s pinch-hit single to short right field scoring Mondesi with the eventual winning run.

For the Reds, the loss put them only one-half game ahead of the Houston Astros in the NL Central, with only one game remaining before Friday. For the Dodgers, the victory was just another day closer to reality.

“I woke up this morning and was hoping to hear some good news,” DeShields said, “then I heard that (union chief) Don Fehr walked out of the meeting, and I said, ‘It looks like it’s on.’ ”