DODGERS CAN GET NO RELIEF IN LOSS : ST. LOUIS 7, DODGERS 4.

Byline: Marc J. Spears Daily News Staff Writer

On this day when wild rumors on a possible Randy Johnson deal ended, the Dodgers proved that talks for some bullpen help probably need to begin.

The Dodgers entered the game with three-straight losses at home, including two that resulted from bad outings from closer Scott Radinsky.

And in game 1 of reality without Johnson or Hideo Nomo in blue, the pen was battered again as Dodgers reliever Jim Bruske gave up a two-out, three-run homer to Brian Jordan in the eighth inning to give the Mark McGwire-less St. Louis Cardinals a 7-4 victory Tuesday night in front of 36,367.

Another loss at Chavez Ravine surely had the Dodgers wishing for a return from Triple-A Albuquerque of reliever Brad Clontz or that the rumors of a Nomo deal for Baltimore reliever Armando Benitez were true.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers, however, neither were available as Bruske replaced started Darren Dreifort in the eighth with two outs. After working a 1-1 count, Jordan aired the ball into the left-field bleachers to give the Cardinals a 7-4 lead in a game in which they were down by four runs.

``What we (still) need is subjective,'' said Dodgers executive vice president Fred Claire, who said the possibility of a deal for Seattle ace Randy Johnson ended Tuesday afternoon. ``We haven't had a settle down after everything that happened. I believe in this club.''

The Dodgers' 4-0 lead came via some offensive punch from three of the four ex-Marlins that they acquired in a May 16 blockbuster trade. Los Angeles, however, is just 8-8 since making the move.

Bobby Bonilla entered the game batting just .237 with a homer in 15 games with the Dodgers and was dropped in the batting order from cleanup to the sixth spot. The left-handed batter, however, gave his club a no-out 1-0 lead with a RBI single in the second.

An out later, Charles Johnson tagged a two-run home run into the left-field seats off a 1-2 pitch from St. Louis starter Kent Mercker to put the Dodgers up 2-0. Johnson, who had a career-high 19 homers last season, hit his third blast in the past four games and now has 10 homers on the season.

Also, Gary Sheffield, who entered the game batting .356 with 10 RBI as a Dodger, added an RBI popout in the third to give Los Angeles a four-run cushion.

``(The chemistry) takes time, especially when you've got four guys coming in here and get settled in,' said Dodgers manager Bill Russell. ``We had an everyday lineup that was starting to jell, starting to play well and was coming off a successful roadtrip. Then all of the sudden came the Randy Johnson deal which was a big distraction for us. These guys need to start playing together and looking out for each other. Everything (improves) from playing together every day.'

For the first four innings, Dreifort (3-5) pitched well, got out of two jams and showed why the Dodgers brass chuckled when the Seattle Mariners reportedly inquired about him. The former reliever, who entered Tuesday with a three-game winning streak, reverted back to his early-season struggles by struggling in the middle innings.

This time, it was the fifth inning when the Cardinals scored four runs and batted around to tie the game. Despite striking out a career-high eight batters in 7-2/3 innings, Dreifort gave up six runs and nine hits, threw a wild pitch and walked six. As for Mercker (7-2), who threw a no-hitter at Dodger Stadium with the Atlanta Braves in 1993, he allowed four runs on eight hits in seven innings.

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Photo

PHOTO Mark McGwire, who sat out the game, chats with Eric Karros before the game.

Evan Yee/Daily News