Dreifort Starting to Get on Himself

Darren Dreifort is only learning how to be a starting pitcher, so the Dodgers are being patient with him.

All of them except Dreifort.

The first-year starter was especially hard on himself Friday night after the Dodgers’ 5-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates before an announced crowd of 15,491 at Three Rivers Stadium.

Pittsburgh rebounded from a 14-6 loss to the Dodgers on Thursday by scoring four runs in the sixth inning against Dreifort and reliever Mark Guthrie, with the go-ahead run scoring on Guthrie’s fielding error. The Dodgers wasted two run-scoring doubles by leadoff batter Eric Young, and lost after staking Dreifort to a 4-1 lead.

And the harshest criticism of the Dodger starter came from himself.

“I just forgot how to pitch in the sixth inning,” he said. “I didn’t mix my pitches and wasn’t throwing them for strikes. I didn’t do what I should have, and I just wasn’t thinking. You can say this is only my third start, but I also had six starts in spring training. How many freebies do I get?”

Others didn’t view his performance as poorly.

“He looked fine to me,” Manager Bill Russell said. “He was throwing great, then he got a couple of balls up in the sixth, and they got to him. He’s a competitor, and that’s just something he will work out in time.”

The Dodgers say that Dreifort has the talent, which is why they named him the fifth starter in spring. But Dreifort (0-2) hasn’t been pleased with his performance as a starter.

He struggled in the fifth inning of his first start April 11, which was a 6-2 loss to the Houston Astros. He pitched five innings last Saturday in his second start, a no-decision, but not well enough to allow Russell to leave him in the game.

Against the Pirates, he was charged with five runs--four earned--in 5 1/3 innings. He gave up eight hits, and had a career-high seven strikeouts with only one walk.

But he threw 94 pitches, and again failed to pitch beyond the sixth. Is fatigue a problem for the former reliever?

“No, that wasn’t it all,” he said. “I felt fine, probably stronger than I have in my other starts. I just didn’t do the things I should have.”

Pitching coach Glenn Gregson agreed.

“He’s probably in as good or better physical condition as anyone there is on this staff, but he’s still growing into the role,” Gregson said. “That starter’s arm comes with innings, and that experience and understanding of situations takes time to set in and develop.”

Young was the catalyst as the Dodgers took a 4-1 lead after five innings. He had three hits to that point. Young, who was stranded at third in the first and third inning, has raised his average to .298 by hitting .357 (20 for 56) in his last 12 games. He also stole his 12th base Friday to move into second place in the National League. But his efforts were wasted as the Pirates rallied in the sixth.

Kevin Young grounded out to open the inning, and Turner Ward tripled to right-center. After Jose Guillen walked, Chance Sanford singled to right to drive in Ward.

With Guillen at second and Sanford at first, Lou Collier doubled down the right-field line, and Guillen scored to cut the Dodger lead to 4-3. Gold Glove right fielder Raul Mondesi prevented a run from scoring by making a sliding stop on the ball, forcing Sanford to stop at third.

But Sanford wasn’t there long.

Collier’s hit ended Dreifort’s work, and Russell brought in left-hander Mark Guthrie to face Doug Strange, who was pinch-hitting for reliever Jeff Tabaka. Sanford tied the score, 4-4, on Strange’s ground out.

Eric Karros made a diving stop of a line drive hit by Tony Womack down the first-base line, and from his knees tossed the ball to Guthrie, who raced to cover first. Womack beat the throw, and Collier, who had stopped at third, scored the winning run when the ball got away from Guthrie.

But Dreifort said the Dodgers shouldn’t have been in that position.

“I have to be better than that, I can’t let that stuff happen,” he said. “That’s just the way it is.”

But only in Dreifort’s mind.