Dodgers Give Hershiser Zero Support, 1-0

For about the 59th consecutive time Sunday, Orel Hershiser claimed he was not going crazy. He claimed no knowledge of anger. He denied frustration. He swore he did not want to douse the Dodger clubhouse in baby shampoo.

But on a day when the Dodgers were once again shut out while he pitched--a 1-0 loss to San Diego--he allowed a peek underneath the armor when he talked about leaving the game after seven innings.

Because he was talking about pitching as if it were a job.

“I came out because I was tired, and there was no reason to continue to pitch,” he said. “There was no reason to push it at this point in the season, no reason to risk injury. If I was ahead and the team needed me, fine. But they didn’t.

“I threw my innings and got out.”

When Hershiser starts throwing his innings and getting out, either it’s March in Vero Beach or something is terribly wrong.

It’s certainly not spring, as anyone who visits Dodger Stadium this week can confirm. Beginning tonight, the National League West-leading San Francisco Giants are in town for three games, one of which should cinch the division.

The Giants’ 10-2 win over Houston Sunday kept them five games ahead of the Padres with six games remaining, giving them a magic number of two--meaning any combination of Giant wins and Padres losses equaling two would give the Giants their title.

Champagne could be spilled as early as tonight.

None of this should be confused with Hershiser’s black magic number of nine.

During his last nine starts, he has allowed 16 runs in 62 innings for a 2.32 earned-run average that has lowered his overall ERA to 2.38, second best in the league. He has failed to last at least seven innings just twice. He has allowed just one homer, and 11 other extra-base hits.

And during that time, he is 0-7.

This is because, during that time, the Dodgers have scored just six runs for him. Six runs in 42 days worth of starts.

To be more exact, since this streak started Aug. 13, the Dodgers have supported Hershiser with an Eddie Murray two-run homer, RBI singles by Mike Scioscia, Mike Marshall and Lenny Harris, and an Alfredo Griffin groundout that was set up by Hershiser’s sacrifice bunt.

And that’s it.

Sunday’s loss to Padre rookie Andy Benes marked the 17th time this season the Dodgers have been shut out, tying them with Kansas City for the major league lead.

“That’s amazing,” said Padre outfielder Tony Gwynn, who beat Hershiser Sunday with a seventh-inning RBI fly. It followed ground ball singles by Bip Roberts and Roberto Alomar in a scenario that should have looked familiar.

The last time Hershiser faced Benes, on Aug. 8 in San Diego, he lost, 1-0, on an infield double.

Hershiser is 14-15, but if the Dodgers had scored four runs in each of his starts this year--the same number of runs they averaged last season--he would be 25-7. Last season, he won the Cy Young award with a 23-8 record.

“What else can we say that hasn’t been said?” Hershiser asked. “People go through these tough stretches, it just so happens that I’m the guy caught in this one. Actually, I’m glad it’s happened to me instead of some of the younger guys in this room.”

Despite a swollen and sore right foot injured last week in San Francisco, Hershiser didn’t allow a Padre past second base until the seventh. But Benes did not allow a Dodger base hit until the sixth when Hershiser led off with a single to left.

Typically, the inning ended with Hershiser stranded on third, as, with the bases loaded, Lenny Harris struck out and Mickey Hatcher popped out.

“I swung the bat, I got a hit, there’s nothing more to talk about,” said Hershiser. “It’s been a tough year for everybody.”

Dodger Notes

The 37,969 fans at Dodger Stadium Sunday were at least treated to Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda’s version of Monty Hall, as Lasorda passed out Fan Appreciation Day gifts following the game. . . . Padre pitcher Andy Benes won his sixth straight decision Sunday, his second win against the Dodgers. He improved his record to 6-2 with an ERA of 3.25, and his 7 2/3 innings also equaled his longest outing of the year. And to think, the 1988 national No. 1 pick didn’t even join the Padres from the minor leagues until Aug. 8.

DODGER ATTENDANCE

Sunday 37,969 1989 (78 dates) 2,859,814 1988 (78 dates) 2,859,676 Increase 138 1989 average 36,664