Nothing Light About Piazza; Strawberry Pain Free in Return : Dodgers: Rookie catcher makes debut with a double and two singles in 5-4, 13-inning victory over the Cubs. Outfielder goes one for seven.

CHICAGO â€”  The Dodger lineup contained two fresh faces, but they wore vastly different expressions.

Mike Piazza made it look easy, while Darryl Strawberry made it look painfully difficult.

During an important day of change for a team that can’t change enough, the Dodgers used Piazza’s bat and overcame Strawberry’s struggles to defeat the Chicago Cubs, 5-4, in 13 innings Tuesday.

Their six-game losing streak was officially broken after Mike Sharperson drew a bases-loaded walk from Heathcliff Slocumb in the 13th inning.

Their losing spirit was broken four innings earlier when Eric Karros tied the score with a one-out home run during the ninth inning against Bob Scanlan.

But as far as the Dodgers were concerned, other events during the 4 1/2-hour game before 14,981 at Wrigley Field were much more meaningful.

Piazza, their top prospect making his major league debut, exceeded even his own advance billing. He had a double, two singles and a walk in four plate appearances.

During Piazza’s seven innings behind the plate, only Dwight Smith attempted to steal--and Piazza threw him out.

“A couple of times I looked around and said, ‘I can’t believe this is happening,’ � said Piazza, who was recalled from triple-A Albuquerque on Monday.

Those watching Strawberry might have wondered the same thing, but for a different reason.

In his first appearance since he decided to forgo back surgery last month, Strawberry, with one hit in seven at-bats, got the ball out of the infield only twice.

Strawberry struck out with runners on base twice, including with the bases loaded during the seventh inning. He ran well in the field, but his tentativeness was obvious.

He will probably test his back for at least a couple of weeks before deciding whether he should still have the previously recommended operation.

But so far, he said he is pain-free and passing that test.

“I think I’m halfway home now,� Strawberry said. “I think my decision has worked. I didn’t have the pain out there that I have felt before. No pain running down my legs.�

Strawberry said he also felt comfortable chasing down balls in right field.

“Did you see me running out there? I thought I was running good,� he said.

Because Strawberry played all 13 innings, he will probably rest today.

Piazza will probably also sit out because the Dodgers are worried about his stamina after watching him catch 60 games in Mexico this winter before his full season in the minor leagues.

“Yeah, it has been a long year, but I’m on an adrenaline rush right now,� Piazza said.

It certainly seemed that way when he dashed around the infield after getting his first major league hit during the fourth inning, a first-pitch double to right-center field against Mike Harkey.

“I don’t think I hit the ground the whole time I was running those bases,� he said.

When he returned to the dugout he was greeted by his godfather, Manager Tom Lasorda.

“It was a great day,� Lasorda said.

Probably the only person who had more fun than Piazza was Karros, whose homer capped three Dodger comebacks that overcame two home runs by Ryne Sandberg.

“I wanted to do something to make up for (Monday) night,� said Karros, referring to his error that cost the Dodgers the game. “Sure, I thought about it. When I was in the on-deck circle, people in the stands were shouting, ‘Hey, there’s Bill Buckner.’ �