Dodgers Speed Through Road Test

PITTSBURGH — All of a sudden, the Dodgers look like a different team.

And the main reason is, they are.

The sleeker, faster, more opportunistic Dodgers ran away from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon, 9-5, in front of a Three Rivers Stadium crowd of 12,972 to take three of four in the series and eight of 10 on the trip. They increased their lead over the San Francisco Giants in the National League West to 1 1/2 games, the Dodgers’ biggest of the season.

Will somebody please tell Dodger Executive Vice President Fred Claire?

It would be understandable if he didn’t know. Who has time to watch ballgames when your nose is pressed against the waiver wire?

Claire, moving with the swiftness and determination of Otis Nixon or Eric Young, pulled off his fourth transaction in two weeks Wednesday, acquiring outfielder Darren Lewis from the Chicago White Sox for a player to be determined.

Lewis, a former Giant, will fill in for outfielder Roger Cedeno, who suffered a broken left foot Monday.

This follows moves that netted the Dodgers Young, Nixon and veteran Eddie Murray at a cost of pitcher Pedro Astacio and minor league catcher Bobby Cripps.

The result is a whole different approach. This is a team that struggled on the road in the past, had trouble scoring runs, had defensive lapses, made fundamental mistakes on the basepaths and too often sat around hoping one of its big guns--Mike Piazza, Eric Karros, Raul Mondesi or Todd Zeile--would smack a big home run.

No more.

Take Wednesday. Nixon, who had fallen into a slump that caused his average with the Dodgers to fall to .091 last week, broke out with a career-high five hits. Young had four hits and got aboard on an error, meaning the top of the order reached base 10 times.

And Garey Ingram, recalled from double-A San Antonio and immediately put in left field, had three hits.

Piazza took advantage of all the runners, cracking two home runs to give him 31 and driving in six runs.

Even with the new-look Dodgers, some things, such as Piazza’s home run swing, haven’t changed.

“If I was a No. 3 or No. 4 or No. 5 hitter on this team, I’d be pretty happy,” Young said. “If a pitcher sees Nixon or I get on base, and Piazza, Karros, Mondesi or Zeile coming up, he’s got to be pretty concerned.”

No argument from Piazza, now hitting .356 with 94 RBIs.

“When you get our first two guys on,” Piazza said, “it gets the pitcher on his heels and opens up some holes. That makes my job easier.”

And that of the starting pitcher.

Dennis Reyes, 20, in his final start before making a brief return to Albuquerque--he’ll be back next week when the rosters expand--had a 3-0 lead before he even made it to the mound and a 6-0 lead by the second.

The Pirates briefly made a game of it by scoring three in the second, shortstop Abraham Nunez celebrating his arrival from double-A Carolina with a two-run triple.

But Reyes held firm, going 6 2/3 innings to improve to 2-2. On some teams, he might have earned a starting spot. But on this club, he’s a victim of the numbers. Even with five slots in the rotation, there is nowhere to put him.

Steve Cooke (9-13) took the loss for Pittsburgh.

Todd Worrell closed out the Pirates in the ninth, but gave up Turner Ward’s third home run of the season, a solo shot that was the 11th home run allowed by Worrell this season.

Afterward, Nixon could only shake his head at the turn of fortune for both himself and his new club.

“It’s a funny game,” he said.

So funny that suggestions he got from a man who won the NL batting title 50 years ago made the difference, according to Nixon.

Harry “The Hat” Walker won the National League batting title in 1947 at .363. But some things you don’t forget, such as a smooth batting stroke.

Now believed to be about 80, Walker watched Nixon, an old pupil of his, struggle at the plate via television, called Nixon at his hotel and told him what he thought was wrong.

Nothing major. Only a few minor technical adjustments were necessary.

Nixon listened, tinkered with his swing and the results were spectacular.

Now the Dodgers come home for 10 of their next 12. The sale of game programs, identifying the players, ought to be brisk.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

30-30-30 Club

Dodgers with 30 or more homers in consecutive seasons:

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Player Years Homers Duke Snider 1953-57 42,40,42,43,40 Gil Hodges 1950-54 32,40,32,31,42 Mike Piazza 1995-97 32,36,31 Eric Karros 1995-96 32,34 Pedro Guerrero 1982-83 32,32 R. Campanella 1950-51 31,33

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DODGER HOME RUN LEADERS

All-time Dodger home run leaders:

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Player Years HR Avg. Duke Snider 1947-62 389 24.3 Gil Hodges 1943, ‘47-61 361 22.6 Roy Campanella 1948-57 242 24.2 Ron Cey 1971-82 228 19 Steve Garvey 1969-82 211 15.1 Carl Furillo 1946-60 192 12.8 Pedro Guerrero 1978-88 171 15.5 Mike Piazza 1992-97 159 26.5 Willie Davis 1960-73 154 11 Eric Karros 1991-97 148 21.1 Dusty Baker 1976-83 144 20.6

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* SORE NECK

Brett Butler returned home to Atlanta to be examined by his personal physician. C6