Piazza’s on the Road Again

Darren Dreifort figured life as a starting pitcher would be fun, and he eagerly embraced the unfamiliar role.

But the good times didn’t come quickly for the first-year starter.

Dreifort had problems adjusting to his new responsibilities, and even greater difficulty pitching more than five innings. After only five starts, his future in the Dodger rotation seemed anything but secure.

However, times have changed. And so has Dreifort.

He earned his second victory, pitching his first shutout Friday night in a 5-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark before a sellout crowd of 48,299.

Now that was fun.

“It was a real nice feeling,” said Dreifort, who pumped his fist and slapped his glove when Matt Williams popped out to first baseman Eric Karros for the final out.

“I felt good out there the whole game, and I felt like I was in a groove. But I’m not sure if it was me being in a zone, or just the guys playing great defense behind me. C.J. [catcher Charles Johnson] also called a great game, and the five runs on top of that was nice too.”

He pitched the Dodgers’ first complete-game shutout since last season, and lowered his earned-run average from 4.34 to 3.65.

The last complete-game shutout came May 1, 1997, when Pedro Astacio shut out the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-0, at Philadelphia.

Bobby Bonilla’s first-inning, two-out, run-scoring single was all the support he would need.

Gary Sheffield’s two-out, bases-clearing double in the second gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead and was all Dreifort needed.

Dreifort (2-4) gave up only six hits and struck out six--without a walk--while throwing 96 pitches, 63 strikes. He worked quickly, effectively mixing fastballs and sliders, and he consistently threw first-pitch strikes.

“As a starter, you have to throw a lot of first-pitch strikes if you’re going to get into the sixth, seventh or eighth inning,” pitching coach Glenn Gregson said. “Tonight, he put on a clinic.”

Dreifort retired the side in order in the second, fifth, sixth and ninth.

Led by several outstanding plays by shortstop Jose Vizcaino, the Dodger defense was at its best this season.

For instance, with two out and runners on first and third in the first inning, Williams hit a towering fly ball to right.

New Dodger right fielder Gary Sheffield, whose defense isn’t the best part of his game, made an impressive running catch on the warning track in front of the stadium’s pool-picnic area.

Karros is playing with a protective device on his left hand because of a dislocated pinkie, but he flawlessly handled nine fielding chances.

And then there was Vizcaino.

The shortstop has been hot recently, batting .414 (12 for 29) during a seven-game hitting streak. He had two hits Friday, including a leadoff home run--his second--in the seventh that closed the scoring.

But on Friday, Vizcaino was even hotter in the field.

He robbed Kelly Stinnett of a single in the seventh with a nifty play behind second base, and made the play of the game in the eighth.

Tony Batista, pinch-hitting for reliever Scott Brow, hit a hard grounder into the hole between third and short. Running toward third, Vizcaino grabbed the ball on the lip of the outfield grass and threw across his body to Karros for the out that stirred excitement in the Dodger dugout.

“Dreifort is a great pitcher, and he threw a hell of a game tonight,” Vizcaino said. “He has a great slider, and you know he’s going to get a lot of ground balls, so we just wanted to be ready for him.”

He appreciated the support.

“Jose was just awesome, and the guy over there at first base [Karros] was playing with a broken pinkie,” Dreifort said. “They were what made the difference out there.”

But he had the most fun.

NEXT SERIES FOR DODGERS

WHO: Houston Astros

WHERE: at Houston

WHEN: Monday, 1 p.m.; Tuesday, 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 5 p.m.