Dreifort Hit Hard Again in 9-2 Loss

Darren Dreifort is respected in the Dodger clubhouse because of his work ethic, commitment to teammates and competitiveness.

While that’s nice, management presumably did not give Dreifort a $55-million contract simply for being a good guy.

Chairman Bob Daly expected victories from the inconsistent starter, who had another poor performance Tuesday night in a 9-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.

Dreifort (4-6) struggled in his third consecutive start, stirring boos from a crowd of 31,160 in six shaky innings against the National League West leaders.

He gave up two home runs among 10 hits, and five earned runs, increasing his earned-run average from 4.75 to 4.95.

In his last three starts, Dreifort’s ERA is 9.88.

“If we could have put our fingers on it, we would have resolved the situation,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said of Dreifort’s problems.

“But it wasn’t as much Dreifort as it was Luis Gonzalez. He’s obviously a tremendous offensive force.”

Gonzalez tormented the Dodgers again.

The left fielder was three for five with a double, homers Nos. 29 and 30 and six runs batted in. He has eight homers against the Dodgers this season.

Gonzalez, who had his 14th multi-homer game and sixth of the season, matched his career high in RBIs and the franchise single-game record.

He had a run-scoring double against Dreifort in the third, and a two-run homer in the fifth that extended Arizona’s lead to 4-1.

The Diamondbacks broke the game open, 9-2, with a four-run eighth, highlighted by Gonzalez’s 442-foot, three-run homer into the right-field pavilion against reliever Jesse Orosco.

“He’s hitting the ball hard every time up,” Dreifort said of Gonzalez. “You can’t afford to make mistakes.”

The support was more than enough for left-hander Randy Johnson (9-4).

The three-time Cy Young Award winner gave up solo homers to Eric Karros and rookie Hiram Bocachica--a second-deck shot to left--but was good enough in a seven-inning, eight-strikeout outing.

In taking the opener of the two-game series, the Diamondbacks (43-27) won their third in a row.

The Dodgers (37-33) dropped their third straight and trail the Diamondbacks by six games--their biggest deficit of the season.

The Dodgers cut the lead to 2-1 in the fourth on Karros’ solo shot--his seventh homer--to right-center.

With one out, Karros hit a 3-and-1 pitch for his second homer since coming off the disabled list.

But Dreifort’s problems continued in the fifth.

Former Dodger Craig Counsell, who had three hits, three runs and an RBI, singled to open the inning.

After Dreifort struck out Jay Bell, Gonzalez hit a 2-and-1 pitch to right-center for his 29th homer, giving Johnson a 4-1 cushion.

Bocachica--opening eyes in place of injured second baseman Mark Grudzielanek--homered in the fifth for the Dodgers’ second run.

On a 1-and-0 count, Bocachica hit his second homer, into the loge-level seats in the left-field corner.

It marked only the 10th second-deck homer at the stadium, and fourth by a Dodger. Todd Hundley did it Aug. 9 last season against the Chicago Cubs.

With Dreifort getting hit hard, the Diamondbacks took a 2-0 lead in the third.

Counsell doubled into the right-field corner to start the inning, and advanced to third on Bell’s groundout.

Counsell scored on Gonzalez’s double off the wall in right, and Gonzalez moved to third on Mark Grace’s single.

Gonzalez crossed the plate on Reggie Sanders’ grounder.

The Dodgers might have scored a run in the first had Jeff Reboulet not been slowed by a strained left hamstring.

Reboulet lined a ball past first baseman Mark Grace and could have had a double, but his sore leg would not cooperate.

Instead of the Dodgers having a runner in scoring position with one out, Reboulet was at first and eventually was stranded at third.

Reboulet was clearly hampered on the bases, but Tracy did not want left-handed batting shortstop Alex Cora to face Johnson.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

STRIKE FORCE

Strikeouts since 1996:

PLAYER SO

Randy Johnson 1,583

Pedro Martinez 1,515

Roger Clemens 1,271

Curt Schilling 1,248

Kevin Brown 1,122

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