BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Dreifort Impressive in Short Stint

His performance wasn’t at all perfect, but Darren Dreifort showed the confidence, poise and talent that continues to impress team officials when he pitched two innings in the Dodgers’ 8-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

Dreifort followed starter Ramon Martinez to pitch the fifth inning and quickly got into trouble, loading the bases on a single, a walk and a hit batter before walking in a run. But a visit by pitching coach Ron Perranoski settled him down.

“I just told him to stay on top of it a little more and get a fastball for the double play,” Perranoski said.

Dreifort then threw a sinking fastball to get out of trouble with a double play. He then struck out two batters the next inning, and gave up one hit.

“He’s very close to helping us out, very close,” Mike Piazza said. “He got into that jam, but he came out it and did a hell of a job.”

Whether Dreifort makes the team will depend on the rest of the spring and perhaps on the number of pitchers the team carries. The past two seasons, the team carried 11, but Manager Tom Lasorda said Wednesday he didn’t know if he would carry 10 or 11.

*

Chan Ho Park is scheduled to make his second start Sunday when the Dodgers play the Montreal Expos at Vero Beach in their first televised game. . . . Kevin Gross, who was upset that Park was given his start last Monday against the New York Mets, is scheduled to pitch Friday. But there was some feeling among Dodger officials that Gross, who has been battling mild tendinitis, should not have pitched at all Monday. He pitched after Park against the Mets.

“I was really second-guessing myself just to put him in that game the other day--I thought maybe he should be in a B game,” Perranoski said. “He did a good job of holding back and I was happy about that, because there is no need to put him out in front of 6,000 people when he is not ready. But he is coming along fine.”

*

The Dodgers, trailing 5-2 in the seventh inning, put together a six-run rally. Piazza hit a two-run home run, his third of the spring, and Raul Mondesi added a two-run triple. Mondesi also made a nice catch in right-center of a ball hit by Greg Gagne. Jose Offerman was three for five and is batting .333 through six games. He is tied with Piazza with six runs batted in, the most on the team.

Darryl Strawberry got his first RBI when he walked with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. He also stole a base. Strawberry, who has three hits in 14 at bats--none for extra bases--said that his two walks Wednesday are an encouraging sign. “I’m pleased with the walks because it means I am laying off bad pitches,” Strawberry said. “That means it’s going to happen, that I will start delivering. The more I play, the more comfortable I am becoming.”

Cory Snyder took batting practice in the cages for the first time in more than a week. He was sidelined initially because of a sore back and then pulled a muscle in his side. . . . Pedro Astacio threw for the first time and reported no pain.