Dreifort Could Go All the Way

Darren Dreifort and the Dodgers got a chance to take out a little of their season-long frustration Wednesday, and it felt good.

Dreifort pitched his first complete game of the season and joined his teammates with two timely hits to help the Dodgers end a three-game losing streak with a 7-0 victory over the Florida Marlins before 36,463 at Dodger Stadium.

Dreifort (10-12) scattered seven hits and struck out four to record his second career shutout. He also helped himself at the plate with a single and double and scored a run. “I really don’t care if I get a hit or not, as long as everybody else does,” said Dreifort, whose last shutout and complete game came in a 5-0 win over Arizona on May 22, 1998.

Dreifort’s effort came with his parents, who live in Wichita, Kan., in the stands.

“It’s always nice to have them around. It was my Mom’s birthday tonight,” Dreifort said.

“This definitely was a fun evening. It would have been nice to have this much fun about two months ago.”

Florida starter Brian Meadows (10-12) was hit hard by the Dodgers, who had three home runs. Catcher Todd Hundley had his second two-homer game of the season and Todd Hollandsworth homered for his second game in a row.

Craig Counsell started at second base in place of Eric Young and had two runs batted in. Hundley and Hollandsworth also had two RBIs with Mark Grudzielanek also knocking in a run.

For the Dodgers, however, the win could not salvage a poor home stand that saw them lose four of six games. With his team still 16 games behind first-place Arizona in the West Division and less than seven weeks remaining in the season, Manager Davey Johnson has his eyes already set for the future.

“I’m looking to get better. We need some changes and I’m willing to make some changes,” Johnson said. “So, I’m going to be looking for all options.

“Where you finish doesn’t matter if it’s not first or in the playoffs.”

Once the rosters can be expanded on Sept. 1, Johnson wants to take a look at a couple of middle infielders and a few pitchers currently playing in the minors. He considers this period important no matter how a team is playing.

“Even in situations when my club was in first place or still in the hunt, this is still a time to get promising young players a look and an opportunity to do some things,” he said. “Sometimes you give a guy a spot start or use a guy in relief, maybe put some guys in for defense.”

Three infielders expected to join the roster are Alex Cora, Juan Castro and Adam Riggs. After missing the majority of spring training because of a broken hand, Cora will get a real close look from Johnson.

“You know I didn’t see him at all in the spring . . . so obviously, I’d like to look at him,” Johnson said. “He was hitting .330 the last time I looked.”

Among the pitchers the Dodgers plan to call up are Eric Gagne, Ricky Stone and Matt Herges. Not only does Johnson want to see how the young players perform but also how they handle playing in the majors over the final weeks of a season that does not include a playoff race.

“A lot of times it is easier and important for me to look at how [the player] handles himself,” Johnson said. “It’s a dual purpose. You bring him in to see where they would rate on the 40-man roster. You look at him to see what kind of role he may have with the team next year.”