Sheffield and Herges Are Leading Lights, 7-6

HOUSTON —  Gary Sheffield is hot and Matt Herges surprising, so even Carlos Perez can’t sink the Dodgers these days.

Their impressive performances Wednesday night helped the club overcome another awful outing by Perez in a 7-6 victory over the struggling Houston Astros before 35,356 at Enron Field.

Sheffield powered the Dodgers with his third multi-homer game this season and 18th of his career. He capped the Dodgers’ second consecutive series victory with a towering, go-ahead solo blast in the eighth against Jose Cabrera (0-2) that hit the light standard in left field and left the stadium.

Sheffield--who hit homers Nos. 22 and 23--also had a solo shot in the third to help the Dodgers (38-31) win their third in a row. He was four for five, matched his career high with four runs and is the first player to hit a ball off the new ballpark’s light standard and onto the street.

“I knew it hit something,” said Sheffield, who considers Enron Field an even better launching pad than Coors Field in Denver. “I didn’t know what it hit because there are a lot of things to hit here.

“But the main thing is just getting the win. I’m relaxed and healthy, and when I’m healthy I know what I can do.”

Herges is doing a lot too.

The 30-year-old rookie reliever added another chapter to his inspiring story. Herges (5-0) earned his second victory in as many days by pitching three scoreless innings. He got three outs on two pitches in Tuesday’s 9-6, 10-inning victory.

Manager Davey Johnson stayed with Herges in the ninth Wednesday and the focused right-hander retired the side in order. Antonio Osuna also provided quality relief, pitching 2 1/3 scoreless innings after Perez was chased in the fourth.

“Herges has been big all year,” said first baseman Eric Karros, who hit his 21st homer in the Dodgers’ three-run seventh. “He’s the one guy who no one counted on to play that big of a role.”

The Dodgers kept the heat on the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies in the National League West, and Johnson relied on Sheffield and Herges to make it happen. Again.

“Well, what about Sheff!” said Johnson, who earned his 1,100th big-league managerial victory. “He has just been picking us up and carrying us on his shoulders. He’s beyond amazing to me.

“He just gets big hit after big hit. It’s almost like you expect it from him every time up. And Herges has been big too. For a guy on the cusp to make the club [out of spring training], he really has anchored the bullpen. What he and Osuna did, it really gave the ballclub a secure feeling.”

The Dodgers needed it with Perez on the mound.

The erratic left-hander squandered a 3-1 fourth-inning lead. The Astros (25-45) chased him with a four-run fourth, taking a 6-3 lead.

Perez gave up two homers among seven hits and six earned runs in only 3 2/3 innings. His earned-run average increased from 5.29 to 5.73.

“Sometimes you don’t have your good stuff,” said Perez, who hasn’t had his good stuff most of the last two seasons.

Fortunately for the Dodgers, Sheffield and Herges have been very good.

Sheffield was selected the league’s player of the week last week, and now he’s working on this week’s award. The all-star left fielder is batting .548 (23 of 42) with six homers and 16 runs batted in during an 11-game hitting streak.

“I told E.K. [Karros] and [right fielder Shawn Green] that the middle guys [in the batting order] on this team are supposed to do something,” said Sheffield, batting .361 with 63 RBIs. “We talked about when things are not going well, that builds character.

“We have to look at ourselves as individuals and find out what we can do, and reach back and help. Sometimes [as a team] we don’t have that enthusiasm that we’re trying to win this whole thing, and it takes one guy to take the lead and everyone else will follow.”

The Dodgers are following.