DODGERS NOTEBOOK: FIRST WIN SINCE '96 SWEET FOR BORBON.

Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer

The stadium is different, but the city is the same and some of Pedro Borbon's old Atlanta teammates are still with the Braves.

Borbon, the left-hander the Dodgers signed quietly during the offseason, is their most consistent pitcher in the bullpen.

And after two years of grueling rehab work - and two months in the Dodgers' bullpen - Borbon won again. He pitched two perfect innings of relief in the Dodgers' 5-4 win against Atlanta on Sunday.

It was Borbon's first win since Aug. 21, 1996, when he pitched for the Braves. The next day he suffered an elbow injury that resulted in reconstructive surgery. He didn't pitch in '97 and toiled in the Braves' minor-league system last season.

``It's ironic it would come against my old team,'' said Borbon, who went to spring training as a non-roster invitee. ``What's even more weird is I hurt my arm pitching against Bret Boone, and I look and see him out there and I said, `Oh, my God.' ''

Borbon (1-1) retired Boone like he did nearly everyone else. In addition to the two perfect innings Sunday, Borbon pitched two-thirds of an inning in Saturday's 2-1 win.

``It felt great (to pitch at Turner Field), but it felt strange,'' Borbon said. ``I was trying to throw even harder than I usually throw (Saturday). I was real emotional. I was as emotional as when I pitched for them. I had a lot of adrenaline and I was throwing harder.''

Borbon, 31, also has the confidence of manager Davey Johnson. After hesitating to use him on back-to-back days for most of the season, Borbon has pitched four times in the past five games. He also is second among National League relievers with 1.31 ERA, and his 23 appearances ties closer Jeff Shaw for best on the Dodgers.

``I'm pleased with everything, especially my arm,'' said Borbon, who spent 10 years in the Braves organization before signing with the Dodgers as a free agent in January. ``It's good that I'm putting up the numbers, but I'm happy with my arm.''

Understanding situations: The Dodgers have gone through the starting rotation once since Claude Osteen was appointed pitching coach, and the starter in which Osteen had the most to say about was Darren Dreifort.

Dreifort allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in five innings in a loss to Atlanta on Friday. He walked five and struck out five.

But Osteen said Dreifort needs to do a better job of understanding the situation. Osteen pointed to the fourth inning in which the Braves had the bases loaded with none out and Gerald Williams up with pitcher Odalis Perez on deck. Williams and Perez each had RBI ground outs.

``He's got the kind of stuff and ability, if he recognizes the situation in front of him, he can get out of the inning without them scoring,'' Osteen said. ``They scored two runs without the ball going out of the infield. If they (Dreifort and catcher Todd Hundley) set up Gerald Williams right, they could have struck him out with the pitcher up next. But I thought he pitched very well.''

This and that: Johnson said it's unlikely outfielder Todd Hollandsworth, bothered by a strained rib cage, would play during the three-game series in Pittsburgh. ``I'd be tickled to death if he's available for the Anaheim series (beginning Friday),'' Johnson said. . . . When Chipper Jones struck out in the second and Keith Lockhart was thrown out trying to steal second by catcher Todd Hundley, it marked the Dodgers' first double play in such a manner.

DODGERS vs. PITTSBURGH

Time: 10:35 a.m., at Three Rivers Stadium 

TV/Radio: Channel 5; KXTA-AM (1150), KWKW-AM (1330 Spanish)

Matchup: After stops in Cincinnati and Atlanta, the Dodgers hit the final leg of their nine-game road trip with three games against the Pirates. The Dodgers start right-hander Chan Ho Park (4-3, 4.68 ERA) against righty Jose Silva (2-2, 7.12). Park has had back-to-back solid outings in which he's 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA. Park also is 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in his six starts since giving up 11 runs in one inning against St. Louis. Silva, 25, returns to the rotation after making his past three appearances in relief. He's yet to regain his form from early last season, when he went 6-3 with a 3.44 ERA before breaking his right wrist. Silva was 0-4 with a 8.38 ERA after returning from the disabled list. Tuesday - Dodgers RH Ismael Valdes (5-2, 3.75) vs. Pirates RH Jason Schmidt (4-3, 4.42); Wednesday - Dodgers RH Darren Dreifort (5-3, 5.02) vs. Pirates RH Todd Ritchie (4-3, 3.71).

- Brian Dohn

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BOX: DODGERS vs. PITTSBURGH (see text)