Struggle Ends for Piazza : Dodgers: Rookie catcher gets three hits and drives in two runs to help defeat Reds, 4-2.

One line drive, one flare and one dribbler. Not an impressive night on the surface, but Mike Piazza thought it was perfect.

Piazza had three hits and drove in two runs Thursday night to lead the Dodgers to a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The victory means the Dodgers, last in the National League West, won’t lose 100 games. They have lost 96 with three to play at Houston this weekend.

Piazza, considered the best catching prospect in the Dodger organization, has struggled offensively since his Sept. 1 call-up from triple-A Albuquerque. He was batting .212 in 17 games with five runs batted in before Thursday night’s game.

“Obviously, it helps,” said Piazza, who raised his average to .250. “Just coming up and getting used to the league is tough. I didn’t come up here expecting to set the world on fire. It’s nice to get a couple of games in back-to-back and contribute.

“It’s been a little disappointing before tonight. Everybody has said there’s nothing wrong with my swing. I’ve hit a lot of balls hard, but right at people.”

He found the right spots Thursday night, giving Kevin Gross (8-13) the support he needed. Gross won for the first time since Sept. 9 by limiting the Reds to two runs and nine hits through 6 1/3 innings, ending a streak of three no-decisions.

John Candelaria got out of a bases-loaded threat in the seventh inning and pitched a perfect eighth to preserve the lead. Jay Howell pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

The Dodgers scored all four runs off Greg Swindell (12-8), who may have been making his last appearance for the Reds. The left-hander will become a free agent after the season.

The Reds got Swindell in a trade with Cleveland last November, and failed to reach agreement on a long-term contract last winter. The team has given no indication that it has changed its bargaining position.

“I’m going to wait until the World Series is over,” Swindell said. “I’ll be a free agent and go from there.

“They traded for me. I did the best I could. If they don’t want to sign me, fine. There are 27 other teams out there.”

Piazza doubled in the second and scored on Billy Ashley’s two-out double. He added a two-run single in the Dodgers’ three-run third.

Gross, batting .083, led off the third with a single. Brett Butler walked with one out, and Eric Karros singled with two out to drive in Gross and leave two runners in scoring position. Piazza followed with a two-run single.

Piazza also had an infield single in the ninth off Milt Hill.

Willie Greene hit his first homer in the majors in the first and Paul O’Neill had a run-scoring single in the sixth to cut it to 4-2.

Cincinnati loaded the bases in the seventh on three singles, but Candelaria got Reggie Sanders to foul out and struck out Greene.