BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Hernandez Prospers When Piazza Rests

With a day game after a night game, Manager Tom Lasorda rested catcher Mike Piazza, who has started 82 of the Dodgers’ 95 games and played in all but six.

“First of all, it is a very demanding position and secondly, we are in a heat belt here (in New York),” Lasorda said. “Even as strong as he is, mentally and physically, he needs to take a rest.”

It gave Carlos Hernandez the opportunity to start for the 12th time this season. Hernandez has started two of the seven games this trip, and in his 12 starts is batting .250 with four runs, two doubles and a home run in his starts. He is batting .236 overall.

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Raul Mondesi, who strained his knee during Tuesday night’s game, played Wednesday, despite saying he was going to take a couple of days off. . . . Orel Hershiser threw for the second time since suffering a muscle strain to his left side, and said he felt no discomfort. . . . Delino DeShields, who has suffered through this season with a weak left thigh muscle, will treat it with exercise. . . . Lasorda was on the field at Shea Stadium before Wednesday’s game, signing autographs for fans who were being told by the public-address announcer to get back to their seats. “Even Manager Tommy Lasorda must quit signing autographs, even if he is in the middle of one,” came the announcement. Lasorda looked up, said, “Huh?” and paid no attention to the request.