Good News for Dreifort, Bad for Fonville, Anthony

The Dodgers activated relief pitcher Darren Dreifort, who sat out 29 games because of an elbow injury, from the 15-day disabled list and purchased the contract of infielder Tripp Cromer from Albuquerque.

The Dodgers also optioned infielder Chad Fonville to Albuquerque and designated outfielder Eric Anthony for assignment.

Dreifort was 1-0 with a 3.07 earned-run average and one save in 13 appearances before going on the disabled list because of tendinitis in his right elbow.

“The elbow feels great, I haven’t had any problems with it,” said Dreifort, who made two rehabilitation starts in Albuquerque.

Cromer, who batted .321 with eight doubles, six triples, will play second base and shortstop. Cromer, who played parts of three seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, signed with the Dodgers as a free agent last November.

“I didn’t really expect it,” Cromer said. “You always hope it will happen but never really get your hopes up too high.”

Fonville batted .143 with one RBI in nine games. Anthony batted .250 with two home runs and four RBIs in 25 games.

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Dodger center fielder Brett Butler, who had a cancerous tumor removed from his tonsils last May, said he plans to call former Dodger outfielder Eric Davis, who had a cancerous tumor removed from his colon.

“I’ll tell him to have a positive mental approach and to put all his energy into finding all the information he can about it,” Butler said. “He shouldn’t let somebody scare him into making a decision that he has to rush into.

“He needs to go through everything and then decide what’s best for him. My wife didn’t want me to do the radiation treatment, but it’s not her life.”

Manager Bill Russell rested Butler, starting Roger Cedeno in center field.

“I came out to to hit, thought I was playing and found out I’m not,” Butler said.

TONIGHT’S GAME

DODGERS’ HIDEO NOMO (6-6, 3.67 ERA) vs. ANGELS’ DENNIS SPRINGER (4-2, 5.89 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports West 2.

Radio--KTZN (710), KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Update--The Dodgers have won two of five interleague games, including Tuesday night’s 4-3 victory over the Angels. Mike Piazza, who went into Tuesday night’s game with a .365 batting average, extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a sixth-inning single. Eric Karros extended his hitting streak to 10 games, also with a sixth-inning single. Nomo is third in the National League with 103 strikeouts. He has registered seven or more in six of his last seven games. Springer has only one complete game. He has given up 21 runs on 29 hits in his last 25 innings.