DREIFORT GOOD ENOUGH FOR DODGERS DODGERS 4, FLORIDA 3.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

Darren Dreifort's approach isn't any different than before and the early results aren't awful, but expectations changed about the same time the ink dried on his $55 million contract in the offseason.

Suddenly, more was sought from the still-learning right-hander with the sub-.500 career mark. And what he produced Thursday against the Florida Marlins is more indicative of expectations, though it wasn't the domination Dreifort is capable of showing.

He allowed three runs in six innings and Shawn Green smacked a three-run homer as the Dodgers beat the Marlins 4-3 at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers won the final three games of the four-game series with Florida.

Dreifort (2-2) won for the first time since April 11, though his outing was much like his long-legged, slow, deliberate way of walking. Dreifort threw 106 pitches, gave up seven hits, walked three and struck out five.

Since beating Arizona in his second start of the season, Dreifort was 0-1 with a 4.62 ERA in four starts.

Another good sign for the Dodgers was the two scoreless innings pitched by reliever Terry Adams, who was hit hard in his last outing. Adams was charged with seven runs and didn't record an out Saturday in the 20-1 abomination at Chicago's Wrigley Field. Prior to that, he yielded three runs in two innings against Cincinnati.

Adams was aided by a quickly turned double play with runners on the corners and one out in the eighth. Pinch hitter Kevin Millar hit a slow roller to shortstop Alex Cora, who flipped to Mark Grudzielanek to start a double play.

Closer Jeff Shaw pitched the ninth for his National League-leading 12th save. It was also the 18th one-run game played by the first-place Dodgers (20-15), who are 9-9 in those contests.

Cora had a peaks-and-valleys night with three hits, a nice defensive play on a ball deflected by Dreifort but a team-high ninth error that led to the Marlins' third run.

Fundamentals were a key point throughout the spring, but as pertained to baserunning, they seemed lost on the Dodgers on several fronts. They made three outs on the basepaths, including speedy leadoff hitter Tom Goodwin getting thrown out trying to steal third with one out and Gary Sheffield batting in the fifth.

Cora was easily thrown out trying to go from first to third on a sacrifice by Dreifort and Chris Donnels was doubled off third on a line drive.

Florida took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a double by Mike Lowell and a pair of groundouts.

The Dodgers took the lead in the bottom of the third off Marlins starter Matt Clement (1-3) with a four-run outburst. Grudzielanek drove in the first run with a double, and after Sheffield was hit with a pitch Green hit a three-run homer into the right-field bleachers. Green's seventh homer, his first since April 25, gave the Dodgers a 4-1 lead.

The Marlins chipped away at Dreifort with a run in the fourth inning, and again it was Lowell who set up the inning. He led off with a double and scored on Alex Gonzalez's one-out single to left. But Dreifort escaped further trouble when he struck out Luis Castillo to end the inning with runners on second and third.

Cora's inability to cleanly field Lowell's grounder in the fifth led the Marlins' third run. Cliff Floyd singled with one out, and after Preston Wilson flied out to deep right, Lowell hit a sharp grounder to Cora, who bobbled the ball before making a late throw to first. Charles Johnson followed with a single to right to pull Florida within 4-3.

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Darren Dreifort earned his second win of the season Friday, allowing three runs in six innings against Florida.

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press