BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Hershiser Maintains a Positive Attitude

Orel Hershiser, always accommodating to reporters, ended an interview after Sunday’s 6-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves because he thought a reporter was enticing him to speak negatively about his teammates.

“He was trying to get me to rip my team, and I’m not going to do that,” Hershiser said. “Everybody’s not feeling real well after today’s loss, but it’s a long season.”

Hershiser gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings--he said he was finished after six--and turned over a 5-2 lead to the bullpen. He is 20-9 against the Braves, including a 12-game winning streak that ended in 1992. In his last start against the Braves, he had another no-decision in the Dodgers’ 6-3 loss. Hershiser is 3-2 with a 2.94 earned-run average, the best in the rotation.

“Orel does a great job with a lead, he comes out aggressive and doesn’t let the other team back in the ball game,” said catcher Mike Piazza, whose four runs batted in against Brave starter Steve Avery gives him 50 this season, among the best in the league.

Avery, who is 47-35 against the rest of the league, was 8-2 with a 1.70 ERA in 12 starts against the Dodgers before Sunday. His first major league victory was against the Dodgers in 1990.

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Jose Offerman was benched for the second consecutive game, with Eddie Pye getting the start. Manager Tom Lasorda had said Offerman would sit out only a couple of games, but the club is impressed with Pye’s play at shortstop. . . . Darren Dreifort had a 1.20 ERA in April, holding opponents to a collective .214 batting average. In May, Dreifort’s ERA swelled to 8.48, with opponents batting .429.