Dodgers Taking Wrong Path

How bad are the Dodgers on the road?

So bad that even Darren Dreifort’s strong outing Saturday was not enough in a 2-1 loss to the Houston Astros at Enron Field.

Dreifort (3-4) gave up only seven hits and two runs (one earned) in seven solid innings, but the Dodgers flopped again away from Chavez Ravine before 38,621.

Not that they were surprised.

“Dreif pitches a great game, he only allows one earned run, and we don’t get the win,” catcher Chad Kreuter said. “What more can you ask of him?

“We’ve got to win games when he does that. We’ve got to play better, but that’s just the way it’s been going for us on the road.”

The Dodgers appeared befuddled against rookie right-hander Roy Oswalt, who was making his first big league start.

Oswalt (3-1) was even better than Dreifort for six innings, giving up only two hits--including Adrian Beltre’s third home run--with four strikeouts and no walks while throwing 52 strikes in 73 pitches.

Oswalt, a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team, also doubled in the fifth for his first hit.

Relievers Jay Powell and Mike Jackson each worked an inning, preserving the 2-1 lead, and Manager Larry Dierker turned to closer Billy Wagner in the ninth.

Wagner retired the side in order for his 13th save in 14 chances, getting Mark Grudzielanek on a check swing to end the game.

“You can tip your hat to Oswalt,” said Dreifort, who threw a season-high 123 pitches and had seven strikeouts with three walks.

“He came out and pitched a hell of a game. Just a hell of a game.”

Of course, it helps to face the Dodgers on the road.

“If we knew what the problem was, we wouldn’t have the record we have on the road,” Dreifort said. “It’s just one of those deals, I guess. I think we’ll come out of it.”

The Dodgers had only five hits in dropping to 9-17 away from Dodger Stadium with their second loss in the three-game series.

“We have been playing much better at home,” catcher Paul Lo Duca said. “I don’t know if it’s just the fan support or what. It just seems to me we play lackadaisical on the road, even myself.

“I don’t think there’s much panic here, and I don’t think it’s a mental block.”

The Dodgers had runners on first and second with one out in the eighth, but Jeff Reboulet, pinch-hitting for Dreifort, grounded into a double play against Jackson.

Beltre’s third error in less than 24 hours gave the Astros an unearned run in the first, contributing to another frustrating experience for the road-weary Dodgers.

They’re seeking answers but have only more questions.

“If you figure it out, let us know,” Grudzielanek said. “I don’t think we know either because nothing is happening. I don’t know. It’s just been tough to put together a couple of hits and get stuff going. [Friday’s 10-9 loss] was a good day, we put together some hits and battled, and that was a tough loss.

“We were just a little quiet today in the aftereffect maybe. We didn’t come out aggressive and swing the bats the way we know we’re capable of.”

Why?

“It’s a tough question and it’s a good question,” Grudzielanek said. “We need to figure something out pretty quick, in the next week or two, because we can’t be dropping these games like this. These are important games and it’s going to be harder for us to make ‘em up at the end of the season.

“With what we’ve done so far on the road, you can basically say it’s terrible. We really need to wake up, just forget about what’s happened and look forward. Look for tomorrow and growing from there and getting better.

“We need to try to first win a series and try to become a .500 team on the road. If we can be respectable from there, we can hopefully continue what we’re doing at home [21-8] and still be in the race.”

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