Dreifort, Bullpen Rolling

Not that Darren Dreifort is superstitious, but when he was asked about the Dodger bullpen giving up no earned runs in 19 innings this season, he pretended to be angry.

“Thanks for the jinx,” said Dreifort, who contributed three innings of one-hit pitching to that total in the Dodgers’ 6-3 victory over the Pirates on Sunday.

The relievers have been so effective, they’d probably be immune to black cats wandering across their path.

“The bullpen’s throwing very well,” catcher Mike Piazza said. “They come in aggressive and throwing strikes, and that’s what you need them to do. They’re starting to get some confidence. They’re a big part of this team.”

Making his second appearance of the season, Dreifort struck out three and walked none to set up the finish for Todd Worrell, who struck out two in a perfect ninth inning to earn his third save. Dreifort said he was mildly surprised to be left in to pitch the eighth inning and credited Piazza for guiding him through his outing.

“Whatever they need me to do, I’ll do,” he said. “I haven’t heard anybody talk about [the earned runs streak] and I don’t expect to. As long as things are going good, we just kind of let it happen.”

*

Although Manager Bill Russell had considered giving center fielder Brett Butler some rest, Butler played the entire game. He said he was tired afterward, but would have the rest of Sunday and most of today to recover.

Butler, who doubled to right in the seventh and scored the winning run, also said fatigue was not a factor when he couldn’t hold onto Jason Kendall’s sinking liner in the fifth inning.

“The ball was in my glove. I just turned my glove around,” he said. “If you [reporters] are going to be looking at it that way [wondering if his bout with cancer affected his playing], I’m in trouble. You guys are looking for stuff like that instead of looking at [the fact that] I pulled the ball to right field and had jump in my legs.

“You’re looking for the negative. I prefer to look at the positive. My cup’s half-full, not half-empty.”

*

Tommy Lasorda, now a Dodger vice president, never could stay away from the game--or a game.

On his way back from speaking to a graduating class of firefighters Sunday in Downey, Lasorda spotted a girls’ softball game and made an unscheduled stop to say hello to the astonished players.

“I gathered them all together, and the coaches went crazy,” he said. “I just talked to them about having fun and enjoying the game.”