BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Success Hasn’t Carried Over to Stands

The Dodgers’ dramatic improvement hasn’t shown up in the attendance. By this time a year ago, the Dodgers were nearly out of the race.

When the Dodgers passed the 1 million mark in attendance Sunday, it was in their 25th home game--the same number of games it took to reach the figure in 1993.

*

With six saves in the first 28 victories, Darren Dreifort has twice as many as the rest of the staff. However, everything is not perfect for the rookie out of Wichita State.

He is 0-3, has an earned-run average of 4.38, and has given up 36 hits and walked 12 in 26 2/3 innings. The fans only remember his weekend against the Pirates.

*

In the first 50 games, Dodgers coming off the bench were batting .287, had nine doubles, eight home runs and 35 runs batted in. . . . Although it barely sprinkled at Dodger Stadium, the tarp was out and there was no batting practice. . . . Rick Sutcliffe, who beat the Dodgers in St. Louis, then went on the disabled list two weeks later, will face the Dodgers tonight. It will be his second start since suffering a hamstring injury more than a month ago.