DREIFORT'S WOES CONTINUE; DODGERS BELOW .500 AFTER LOSS TO PHILLIES.

Byline: Marc J. Spears Daily News Staff Writer

After four unsuccessful tries, Darren Dreifort was finally able to muster the strength to keep from hitting ``the wall.'

Unfortunately for the Dodgers' reliever-turned-starter, he couldn't find a way to stop getting hit by the Philadelphia Phillies' bats.

Despite lasting a career-best 6-1/3 innings, Dreifort was tagged for five runs on a career-worst 12 hits and dropped to 0-4 on the season as the Dodgers lost to the Phillies 5-2 before 25,992 on Monday night at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers, 4-7 in May, had beaten Philadelphia 10 straight times. They are 18-19 (9-4 at home).

``We are better than a .500 team,'' Dodgers manager Bill Russell said. ``It is just something we have to get through.''

``If you look at us on paper and them on paper, I don't know who you would be more shocked at,'' said Philadelphia ace pitcher Curt Schilling, who is pitching today for his team that improved to 18-17.

As a reliever this season, Dreifort has been magnificent as he has not allowed an earned run over 15 innings in six appearances out of the bullpen. But it has been a different story in his role as a first-year major-league starter.

The right-hander usually is great in the early innings. His opposition entered Monday with a .139 average the first time through the order. After that, the 26-year-old allowed a .440 average. Also, he had lasted just as long in one appearance as a reliever (5-1/3 innings) against Chicago on April 18 as he did in any of his previous four starts.

Before the game, Russell said that Dreifort has had problems with left-handed batters, his changeup, location, getting behind in the count and hitting the wall once he reached the fifth inning.

While Dreifort did last a while on the mound, the outfielders were busy chasing balls all night. Also, the Phillies could have had a lot more runs had it not been for the Dodgers' defense. Two Phillies were caught stealing, Mike Lieberthal was thrown out at the plate in the second inning on a throw by Dodgers center fielder Roger Cedeno and L.A. had two double plays.

``I can't say I would put him back in the bullpen,'' Russell said. ``But he has had enough time to know what he needs to do to become a successful starter. He is our fifth starter and we want him out there to work out the problems that he has had.''

The Dodgers took the first lead 1-0 after Trenidad Hubbard scored in the third inning on a fielder's choice from Eric Young off Phillies starter Matt Beech.

But in the fourth, the Phillies jumped ahead 2-1. Rico Brogna and Kevin Jordan both had RBI singles off Dreifort.

In the bottom of the inning, Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza walked to the plate as the leadoff hitter and without a home run in his previous 55 at-bats. That drought ended when he tagged Beech's first pitch into the right-field seats to tie the game 2-2. Piazza's home run was his ninth of the season.

The Phillies took the lead for good in the sixth when Bob Abreu's RBI single scored Brogna to make it 3-2. Philadelphia added to their lead in the seventh inning on a two-run RBI single by Scott Rolen, the 1997 National League Rookie of the Year.

Like Dreifort, Beech entered the game without a victory. But on this night, he earned win No. 1 after lasting 6-2/3 innings, striking out five and allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--Color) Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza, right, was able to tag the Phillies' Mike Lieberthal out on this play, but it was Philadelphia's night.

(2) Phillies' starter Matt Beech won his first game of the season. He allowed two runs on five hits and struck out five in 6-2/3 innings.

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press