Dodgers Overcome the Giants

The Dodgers scored four runs off San Francisco closer Rod Beck in the top of the ninth inning Wednesday night to take a three-run lead over the Giants, then held on for a 7-6 victory.

Chris Gwynn’s two-run single gave the Dodgers a 5-4 lead and Jose Offerman’s two-run triple made it 7-4.

Todd Worrell retired the last two batters to get the save.

The Dodgers, still dazed from their 4-3, 15-inning defeat Tuesday night, trudged into the clubhouse Wednesday determined to leave those haunting memories behind. Manager Tom Lasorda, who had a sleepless night, even called a team meeting, demanding that his players forget all about Tuesday.

It proved impossible, at least until they took the field.

Reliever Greg Hansell, who blew the Dodgers’ 3-0 lead in the 15th inning Tuesday--yielding a three-run homer to Robby Thompson and a game-winning double to Matt Williams--spent the afternoon busily apologizing to reporters for refusing to speak after the loss. The Dodger hitters still were blaming themselves for going 14 innings without scoring in the first place. And the Giants still were savoring the dramatic victory, replaying it over and over on the scoreboard for the Dodgers to witness once again.

“It was devastating,” Hansell said. “I tried to get away from baseball, but when I went out to eat, there were the highlights on TV. I woke up this morning, and it was on the front page of all the newspapers.

“There are times like that when I wish I still was playing football just so I could take out my aggressions. Believe me, I would have tackled (Thompson) before he even got to first base.”

Even Lasorda, who has endured plenty of heart-breaking losses in his 19-year managerial career, had difficulty shaking off this defeat. His spirits weren’t uplifted, he said, until he received a call Wednesday from former Dodger General Manager Al Campanis.

“It’s hard for me to leave it behind,” Lasorda said.

“I had a tough time going to sleep, and then I woke up at 5 o’clock in the morning. I left to go out with some friends, but I no more wanted to go out than jump off the Golden Gate Bridge.

“But I told my players today, remember, it’s just one game. Don’t let that loss bother you. It’s a long season.”

The Dodgers, who had scored only one run in their last 28 innings against opposing starters, momentarily provided hope that this night would be different.

After Williams’ homer gave the Giants a 2-0 lead in the first, the Dodgers finally ended their 22-inning scoreless drought against opposing starters in the fifth inning.

Eric Karros, off to the finest start of his career, led off the fifth with a homer to left field off Mark Leiter.

Henry Rodriguez followed with a single to left. Billy Ashley flied to center for the first out, and Dave Hansen followed with a single to left. Both runners advanced on Pedro Astacio’s sacrifice bunt.

Leiter fell behind, 3-and-0, to Delino DeShields, worked the count to 3-and-2, but still walked him, loading the bases for Jose Offerman.

Offerman, who entered the game batting .320, took the first pitch for a ball. He lined the second pitch past Williams at third base into left field, scoring Rodriguez and Hansen for a 3-2 lead.

The Dodgers’ euphoria lasted only until Barry Bonds led off the sixth inning with a triple against the right-field fence. Williams hit a sacrifice fly to center, and the scored was tied.