DREIFORT SENDS MESSAGE : DODGERS 8, MILWAUKEE 4.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

For the past month the Dodgers have been reduced to making personal statements rather than statements as a team.

Sometimes those statements come from the public relations staff, but occasionally they're made on the field. Like the one right-hander Darren Dreifort is in the process of delivering with the subtlety of devastating right hook.

Fresh off his second career shutout, Dreifort outlasted a two-hour, 10-minute rain delay to overwhelm the Milwaukee Brewers 8-4 Monday at soggy County Stadium.

Though Dreifort (11-12) wishes not to discuss his future role, either as starter or reliever, it's clear which way he's forcing the Dodgers. He's gained control of his ever-moving fastball and slider, and the decrease in walks has led to increased productivity.

After going 3-7 with a 6.37 ERA through June and July, Dreifort has answered critics by going 3-2 with 3.31 ERA. It's even more impressive since Dreifort had one miserable outing this month, a seven-run, six-inning debacle against Atlanta.

``It's his location; he's just really hitting his spots,'' Dodgers catcher Todd Hundley said. ``His slider is consistently good. . . . He's nasty. I saw it when I faced him. I have to get my glove fixed before the game when I catch him so it doesn't get blown away. He's got a heavy ball. That's a God-given talent, to throw a heavy ball with nails in it.''

Until Dreifort shut out Florida in his last start, he had completed seven innings just twice. The last time was June 24. In allowing three runs in eight innings against the Brewers, Dreifort pitched at least seven innings in back-to-back starts for the first time this season. He walked one and struck out five.

``He's been able to make the adjustments,'' Hundley said. ``He tried to do it (earlier in the season), but he wasn't able to do it. I think (Kevin Brown) had a big influence on him, teaching him how to pitch. Plus, the more innings he pitches the better he's going to be.''

Dreifort also extended his shutout streak to 15-2/3 innings before Geoff Jenkins' RBI single with two outs in the sixth.

By then, though, the now third-place Dodgers were cruising to their fourth win in five games. It began when the oft-booed Gary Sheffield singled in Eric Young in the first. The Dodgers then showed uncanny, uncharacteristic patience at the plate in knocking their former staff ace Hideo Nomo out of the game.

Nomo, a former Rookie of the Year for the Dodgers, walked four batters in a five-run fifth inning, including three straight. Eric Karros and Raul Mondesi had RBI walks before Devon White doubled in three runs to give the Dodgers a 6-0 lead.

While Nomo's downfall was all the free passes, that just happens to be why Dreifort's been so successful. He spent the first 45 starts of his career walking batters.

It hit rock bottom during an April start against Atlanta. Dreifort allowed two hits in 5-1/3 innings but walked a career-high nine. He walked 60 batters in his first 110 innings before the control turnaround. In his last six starts, totaling 41 innings, Dreifort has walked six batters.

He yielded Jenkins' run-scoring single, then made one of his few mistakes an inning later when Jose Valentin hit a two-run homer to pull Milwaukee within 6-3. It was the Brewers' first homer in 14 games and broke a streak of plate appearances without a long ball at 557.

``He was totally in control of the game,'' Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said. ``He really stepped it up in the eighth. It's nice to look at nice pitching.

``He has thrown a lot of strikes, got deep into the game and had a low pitch count.''

Even with the loss, the signing of Nomo has worked out well for the Brewers. Nomo (10-6) is second on the club in wins and leads the staff with 116 strikeouts. And though he allowed six runs on four hits in six innings, only one run was earned. The Dodgers' five-run fifth was sparked by shortstop Jose Valentin's error.