Dodgers Lose to the Cardinals After Dreifort Loses Control

Maybe the Dodgers’ starting rotation isn’t as solid as Executive Vice President Fred Claire maintained after sending Hideo Nomo packing on Monday.

Darren Dreifort gave up six runs and nine hits with six walks as the Dodgers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-4, before 37,367 at Dodger Stadium.

“I pitched like crap,” said Dreifort, who struck out a career-high eight batters. “It was just bad pitching on my part and it hurt us.”

Before the game, Claire said he wanted the team’s focus to be on the field. For the first four innings Dreifort appeared undisturbed by the ruckus surrounding Nomo’s departure and the possible trade for Randy Johnson.

Indeed, the rest of the Dodgers appeared to be in a groove after scoring three runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead.

The inning was highlighted by Charles Johnson’s two-run homer, his 10th.

The Dodgers took a 4-0 lead in the third on a sacrifice fly by Gary Sheffield.

“Its been tough times and a lot of things have been happening,” Manager Bill Russell said. “We just have to ride it out.”

Dreifort ran into trouble in the fifth inning.

He walked Tom Pagnozzi to lead off the inning and Pagnozzi moved to third on Dreifort’s wild pitch.

Dreifort (3-5) then committed a cardinal sin by walking the opposing pitcher, Kent Mercker. Ron Gant drove Pagnozzi in when he grounded to second. Consecutive singles by Delino DeShields and Brian Jordan scored Mercker. Dreifort walked Ray Lankford and the bases were full for Gary Gaetti, who singled to right to tie the score, 4-4.

The Cardinals put the game away in the eighth. Willie McGee, batting for Mercker, singled and DeShields walked. Russell had finally seen enough of Dreifort and brought in Jim Bruske to face Jordan, who promptly homered into the left-field bleachers to give the Cardinals a three-run lead.