Dreifort Hits Wall Again in 5-2 Loss

It’s 300 feet from the bullpen in left field at Dodger Stadium to the mound, a easy jog that should take less than a minute.

But for Darren Dreifort, it has been a slow, tortuous trip, two steps forward and one backward. And after six weeks, he’s still not quite there.

Dreifort, trying to make the transition from reliever to starter for the Dodgers, took a big step backward Monday night at Dodger Stadium where he was rocked for five runs and 12 hits in career-high 6 1/3 innings by the Philadelphia Phillies, who went on to beat the Dodgers, 5-2.

That dropped Dreifort’s record to 0-4, upped his earned-run average to 4.61 and left the question of how long he’ll stay in the rotation hanging over his head.

It may only be early May, but the Dodgers have to question how long they’ll be able to stay within sight of the National League West-leading San Diego Padres if they continue to display the inconsistency they have shown over their first 37 games.

The loss dropped them below .500 again at 18-19, and, coupled with a Padre victory over the New York Mets, dropped the Dodgers six games back.

If Dreifort was still in the bullpen, he’d probably be having quite a season. He entered the game having held the opposition to a .139 batting average the first time through the order, usually the only time he would face a team’s batting order in a relief appearance.

But the opposition was hitting .440 against him from then on.

“It seems like he hits a wall there in the fifth inning,” said Dodger Manager Bill Russell before the game of his struggling right-hander.

Prophetic words, as it turned out.

Dreifort held the opposition scoreless the first time through the order, although he needed a little help.

In the first inning, after Dodger right fielder Raul Mondesi failed to hold onto Kevin Sefcik’s sinking liner, allowing Sefcik to reach first, the Philadelphia outfielder was thrown out trying to steal.

In the second inning, with catcher Mike Lieberthal aboard on a double, Juan Castro, filling in for the injured Jose Vizcaino, allowed a bouncer by Bob Abreu to skip off his glove for an error, the ball continuing on into center field. But from there, Cedeno threw a strike to home plate to cut down Lieberthal who was trying to score.

In the third, with two Phillies aboard via a single and an error, Dreifort got pitcher Matt Beech to ground into a double play.

But this time, that wall Russell referred to popped up in the fourth inning. Dreifort gave up four hits, including run-scoring singles to Rico Brogna--who finished the night with two singles and a double in five at-bats--and Kevin Jordan.

The Dodgers stayed in the game early, Eric Young driving in one run on a fielder’s choice in the third inning and Mike Piazza sending another home in the fourth with a home run to right field, his ninth homer of the season but only his first in his last 55 at-bats.

The Phillies added another run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Abreu and chased Dreifort in the seventh when Scott Rolen drove home two more.

The Dodgers were coming off a tough trip in which they had lost five of their previous seven, but they figured to do better at home. After all, they had won nine of their first 12 at Dodger Stadium, their best start at home since 1981, a year in which they won a world championship. They had also won six of their last seven at home.

And, in the Phillies, they were facing a team that they had beaten 10 games in a row.

But Monday, it was the Phillies who won, the Phillies who moved above .500 at 18-17, the Phillies who got their fifth starter his first victory as Matt Beech improved his record to 1-2.

“Being a fifth starter,” Beech said, “it’s going to be tough to beat us the next night with [Curt] Schilling [following him].

“The more games we win when I pitch, the more confidence our ballclub will have.”

Those are words Dreifort would love to be uttering.

“I gave up five runs on 12 hits and I don’t see that as progress,” Dreifort said. “Maybe I should practice pitching seven, eight nine innings in the bullpen.”

Maybe he should because that is where it seems he is still most comfortable.