[0] PHILLIES DRUB DREIFORT DODGERS STARTER CAN'T MAINTAIN EARLY LEAD PHILA. 7, DODGERS 6.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

It's been two steps forward, one step back for Dodgers pitcher Darren Dreifort for much of this young season, and Saturday night brought another halt to what had been Dreifort's steady progress.

The Philadelphia Phillies, led by light-hitting shortstop Desi Relaford, blasted Dreifort for six runs in three innings and overcame a pair of two-run doubles by Eric Karros to beat the Dodgers 7-6 in front of 33,967 at Dodger Stadium.

The loss hurt the Dodgers on two levels. Third baseman Adrian Beltre strained his right hamstring running out a ground ball in the sixth inning. Beltre will be evaluated again today.

Dreifort (3-2), just three starts removed from a two-hit shutout May 12 against St. Louis, offered few positives against the Phillies, one of baseball's weakest-hitting teams.

Relaford, the Phillies' No. 8 hitter who entered the game with 12 RBI in 37 games, hit a three-run home run in the second and a two-run single in the third. Dreifort struck out five but left the game after the third having allowed six runs on six hits and three walks.

The performance was all the more disappointing considering Dreifort has displayed flashes of dominance this season.

Dreifort allowed two runs in eight innings in a no-decision Monday against Cincinnati and had not lost since his first start of the season, when he walked eight in a 2-1 loss to the New York Mets.

The right-hander had control problems again Saturday, and he frequently fell behind batters. Relaford's home run came on a 3-2 pitch that was left over the middle of the plate, but by that point Dreifort was already in trouble.

Karros hit a two-run double off the top of the left-field wall in the first for a short-lived 2-0 Dodgers lead against Philadelphia starter Robert Person (5-2).

Pat Burrell led off the second with a home run. Rob Ducey walked on five pitches and Kevin Jordan blooped a single into right field to set up Relaford's blast to right field.

Dreifort struck out Person and Bobby Abreu to help end the inning but was finished off in the third, when Burrell walked, Ducey singled and Relaford lined the first pitch he faced up the middle to score both runners.

Matt Herges relieved Dreifort to begin the fourth and fared better, although not without some anxious moments. Herges threw three shutout innings but allowed six baserunners (two hits, three walks, one error).

Herges had runners on second and third with one out n the sixth, but Mike Lieberthal struck out, and a strong pickoff throw to second by Todd Hundley allowed the Dodgers to tag out Doug Glanville in a rundown between third base and home.

The Dodgers started strong and seemed as though they might maintain the torrid offensive output of Friday's 11-4 victory. Mark Grudzielanek singled in the first inning, and with two outs Shawn Green hit a ground-round double tor right-center.

Karros lined a 2-2 pitch to left field, and for the second consecutive night Karros was a few inches from a home run. This ball didn't go off the top of the fence, as Friday night's appeared to, but hit the padding just below. Grudzielanek and Green scored easily for a 2-0 lead.

The Dodgers got back in the game in the fifth inning as Karros struck again. Todd Hollandsworth led off with a single and Gary Sheffield walked. The runners advanced on a wild pitch and scored when Karros doubled to the left-field corner.

The Dodgers pulled to 6-5 on Hundley's two-out, bases-loaded infield single.

Person left after the fifth and threw 110 pitches. He allowed six hits, struck out eight, walked three and stranded six Dodger runners on base.

< DODGERS vs. PHILADELPHIA

Time: 1:05 p.m., at Dodger Stadium.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net 2; 1150-AM, KWKW-AM (1330 Spanish).

Matchup: Carlos Perez (4-2, 5.74 ERA) must be feeling more secure about his spot in the Dodgers' starting rotation, not just because Orel Hershiser was sent to the minors Friday but also because Perez has won four of his last five starts.

Perez is 7-3 with a 2.55 in 10 career starts against the Phillies. Randy Wolf (3-3, 4.26 ERA), an El Camino Real High and Pepperdine product, allowed six runs in three innings in his last start (Tuesday vs. Houston) but had won in his two previous outings.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

(color) Desi Relaford (8) is congratulated by Robert Person, left, after his second-inning, three-run homer.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer

Box: DODGERS vs. PHILADELPHIA (See text)