Hershiser Hurls Dodgers to 6-0 Flag Clincher

The Dodgers rode the untiring arm of Orel Hershiser, who pitched a 5-hitter Wednesday night in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium, to beat the New York Mets, 6-0, and give Los Angeles its first pennant since 1981.

The Dodgers will host Game 1 of the 85th World Series Saturday against the American League champion Oakland Athletics.

Hershiser, who finished the season with a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings, pitched well in Games 1 and 3 without getting a decision and saved Game 4. He pitched 24 of the 65 innings in the series and was named most valuable player.

“What a job this guy has done for us,” Manager Tom Lasorda said of Hershiser. “If he’s not the Cy Young Award winner I want the FBI to investigate it.”

Hershiser broke the championship series record of 22 innings, set in 1986 by Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox.

‘Mechanics Were Bad’

“I had no idea I could shut them out on only two days rest,” Hershiser said. “My mechanics were very bad for about the first two or three innings. . . . Finally I got into a groove and made some adjustments.”

It is the Dodgers’ ninth pennant since moving to Los Angeles in 1958.

“Nobody thought we could win,” said Lasorda, whose team finished in fifth and fourth place the previous two seasons. “When we went to spring training they said, ‘the Dodgers are through.’ To restore the tradition of this organization is a great thrill.

“We beat the best team in the National League, man for man,” Lasorda said. “Everyone believed it but the players.”

The Dodgers scored a run in the first Wednesday off Ron Darling and chased him with 5 more runs in the second, when New York made three sloppy fielding plays.

Steve Sax got the Dodgers started with a single in the first and moved to third on Mickey Hatcher’s double down the left-field line. Kirk Gibson, playing with a pulled left hamstring, hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Sax.

Mike Scioscia and Jeff Hamilton started the Dodger second with singles and Alfredo Griffin popped a bunt in the air that fell for a single to load the bases.

Hershiser hit a one-hopper to third that rookie Gregg Jefferies bobbled for an error, allowing Scioscia to score. Sax then hit a 2-run single to center, bringing on Dwight Gooden for his first major league relief appearance.

After Hatcher advanced the runners with a ground ball, the Mets walked Gibson to load the bases and set up a double play.

The strategy almost worked when Mike Marshall hit a grounder to second, but Wally Backman’s flip to shortstop Kevin Elster was wild, allowing another run to score. John Shelby capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left.

“The players are the champions,” Executive Vice President Fred Claire said. “We’ve got players who wouldn’t quit, players who believed in themselves. This is what can happen if you believe in yourself.”

Details in Sports.