Diamondbacks Extend Dodgers’ Losing Streak

Manager Davey Johnson tried to jump-start the struggling Dodgers with yet more changes Saturday night, benching second baseman Eric Young and bumping pitcher Carlos Perez from the rotation indefinitely.

A positive impact? Get real.

The Arizona Diamondbacks increased the Dodger losing streak to five games with a 3-0 victory at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix.

Arizona left-hander Brian Anderson pitched eight scoreless innings, and closer Matt Mantei struck out the side swinging in the ninth after the first two batters in the inning reached base. Mantei nailed down the victory for Anderson (3-2) and his 15th save before a sellout crowd of 47,824.

With their fifth victory in a row, the Diamondbacks (54-44) moved back into first place in the National League West, half a game ahead of the San Francisco Giants. The last-place Dodgers (43-54) had only six hits, but that’s nothing new.

“He really used his fastball well,” Johnson said of Anderson, who matched his career high with eight strikeouts. “He used both sides of the plate, he had good movement and we just couldn’t get anything.”

The Dodgers wasted a solid effort by starter Darren Dreifort (8-9), who gave up six hits and three runs in six innings. Dreifort gave up all the runs on home runs in the fourth: a two-run shot by Steve Finley and a solo blast by Bernard Gilkey.

“He pitched great,” Johnson said. “He struggled in that one inning [the fourth], when he threw a lot of pitches. Other than that, he pitched a great ballgame and kept us in the game.”

Gary Sheffield singled to start the ninth against Mantei and Eric Karros walked. Then the hard-throwing Mantei turned up the heat, striking out Devon White, Raul Mondesi and Adrian Beltre. His fastball was clocked consistently between 95-98 mph on the strikeout pitches.

*

Perez questioned Johnson’s decision to remove him from the starting rotation.

“He takes me out of the rotation, but I’m not the only one struggling,” said Perez, who has a 2-10 record and 7.43 earned-run average. “I’ve been a starting pitcher my whole career. I don’t know how I’m going to [be able to] pitch in the bullpen.”

Perez said he would welcome being traded if he could start elsewhere.

The Dodgers would welcome that as well, but moving Perez and his three-year, $15.6-million contract are not very marketable.

*

Perez was scheduled to pitch Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium.

Rookie relievers Jamie Arnold and Onan Masaoka are candidates for Perez’s spot, as are minor leaguers Robinson Checo and Eric Gagne.

Checo bombed in his brief audition with the Dodgers after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers in the Dave Mlicki trade.

The right-hander gave up seven earned runs in only 3 2/3 innings in relief before being optioned to triple-A Albuquerque.

For what it’s worth, Checo has been impressive for the Dukes lately. In his last two starts, Checo is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA.

Team officials consider Gagne the most intriguing pitching prospect in the farm system. The right-hander is 10-3 with a 2.73 ERA and 111 strikeouts for double-A San Antonio.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ KEVIN BROWN (10-6, 3.79 ERA)

vs.

DIAMONDBACKS’ RANDY JOHNSON (10-7, 2.65 ERA)

Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix, 5 PDT

TV--Fox Sports West 2

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330)

* Update--This marks the second meeting this season between the top pitchers in the previous free-agent class. The right-handed Brown and left-handed Johnson did not factor into the decision in the Dodgers’ opening-day victory at Dodger Stadium. Brown gave up 10 hits and five runs, while striking out seven, during his 5 2/3-inning outing that day. Johnson gave up five hits and two runs with nine strikeouts in seven innings. Johnson left the game with a lead that the bullpen squandered, which has occurred frequently to Arizona starters. Johnson has been the National League’s most dominant pitcher, with a league-high 229 strikeouts and league-low earned-run average. Brown ended a four-start winless streak Tuesday in an 8-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Leadoff batter Eric Young, who has been benched indefinitely, is three for six with a home run, three walks, four stolen bases and two runs batted in during his career against Johnson.