Hershiser Home, but It’s a Long-Gone Feeling

It wasn’t an epic homecoming.

Then again, how much could the Dodgers expect from a 41-year-old pitcher working in the big leagues for the first time in five weeks?

Orel Hershiser struggled in his return Friday night from a minor league tuneup, and the Dodgers did too in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 6-3 victory at Dodger Stadium.

Hershiser (1-3) gave up six hits and was charged with five runs in four-plus innings in his first start for the Dodgers since April 19, and his first appearance in the majors since May 9.

Manager Davey Johnson had the 17-year veteran on a pitch count after Hershiser made three starts for Class-A San Bernardino because he wasn’t getting work with the Dodgers. Hershiser, who volunteered for the minor league assignment, and three Dodger relievers limited Mark McGwire to a single in three at-bats; he also walked and was hit by a pitch from Hershiser, before a crowd of 43,971.

But McGwire has more help these days.

Center fielder Jim Edmonds provided the power with his first multihomer game as a Cardinal--hitting homers No. 19 and 20--for the National League Central division leaders, who improved to 38-28. Edmonds hit his first solo blast in the first against Hershiser, and capped the scoring with another in the ninth against Mike Fetters.

St. Louis starter Pat Hentgen (6-6) overcame some shaky moments to pitch six-plus innings and earn his second victory in as many starts. Three Cardinal relievers combined to pitch three hitless innings, and closer Dave Veres worked a perfect ninth for his 12th save.

The Cardinals ruined Hershiser’s party with another solid overall performance, and the Dodgers dropped to 35-30 with their fourth loss in six games.

“I think I pitched pretty poorly,” Hershiser said. “I didn’t have my good breaking pitch. Including the minor league starts, I thought it was the worst I threw.

“Baseball is a game where you set yourself up to do well. I didn’t set myself up to do well. I was behind in the count and I got the ball too much over the plate. I wasn’t rusty, as much as my hip kind of acted up on me. I tried to pitch through it, but there was definitely pain.”

The Cardinals went ahead, 5-3, in a two-run fifth while chasing Hershiser. He reached 76 pitches after walking Edgar Renteria and giving up a single to Edmonds, and that was close enough to Johnson’s 80-pitch limit with the Dodgers in another jam.

Matt Herges entered to face McGwire with two on and none out--definitely not a best-case scenario for a rookie reliever.

But Herges won that battle, striking out McGwire swinging. Ray Lankford also struck out swinging, and it appeared Herges was in command.

The situation changed quickly on run-scoring singles by Eric Davis and Mike Matheny. Those were the only hits Herges gave up in an otherwise effective three-inning, five-strikeout appearance.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers, the two hits were enough for the Cardinals.

Eric Karros provided the Dodgers’ first run with his 19th homer in the second against Hentgen. The one-out shot to left-center cut the Cardinals’ lead to 3-1.

The Dodgers’ tied the score, 3-3, on Shawn Green’s fourth-inning, two-run double to right-center after consecutive singles by Mark Grudzielanek and Gary Sheffield. Green extended his streak of reaching base with either a hit or walk to 47 games in a row.

Hershiser labored in his first inning back as St. Louis took a 3-0 lead.

He quickly got two outs and then his problems began. Edmonds crushed Hershiser’s second pitch to him for a homer into the right-field pavilion.

Then Hershiser had command problems. He hit McGwire with a pitch and walked Lankford with Davis on deck.

Davis doubled to right field to drive in McGwire, and Lankford scored from first on Green’s throw to second. Hershiser walked another batter before getting out of the inning after 32 pitches.

“Orel has some problems with his hip, but he should be all right,” Dodger Manager Davey Johnson said. “He’s in the rotation.”