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SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Even in defeat, Darren Dreifort couldn't resist a smile.

Pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a regular-season game for the first time in more than 21 months, Dreifort threw six solid innings Friday night in a 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres.

"It felt good out there," he said. "The whole night was a (nice) moment. It's tough to enjoy a loss, but it's nice to be out there in a regular game."

Dreifort (0-1) made his first start since tearing an elbow ligament in San Diego on June 29, 2001. The 30-year-old right-hander appeared strong throughout, effectively mixing hard sliders and a fastball that consistently reached the mid-90s.

"Everything feels like it's back to normal," said Dreifort, who underwent "Tommy John" surgery on July 9, 2001, to repair his elbow.

He allowed three runs on five hits before being lifted for a pinch-hitter to start the seventh. He walked three and struck out six.

"I think he did a fantastic job," Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. "His rhythm and delivery were as smooth as I've ever seen."

Rookie Xavier Nady hit a solo homer off Dreifort, who allowed the go-ahead run on a balk.

Clay Condrey (1-1) allowed one run and five hits in five innings for the Padres. The rookie, who lost in relief in the season opener, was lifted because of a mild right groin strain he sustained when he scored a run in the fifth.

Brandon Villafuerte pitched a perfect ninth for his first save in his first chance.

"It's a big lift for the team even though we lost," Los Angeles catcher Paul Lo Duca said. "Nobody deserves it as much as (Dreifort) does, having gone through what he went through."

Three weeks after the elbow surgery, Dreifort had to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery for an injury sustained while rehabilitating his elbow.

"Dreifort looked good," said Mark Kotsay, who had three hits against Dreifort, including an RBI single in the fifth. "Obviously, his velocity is back. We didn't do very much against him until the fifth."

After Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Alex Cora's RBI single, Condrey helped himself with a leadoff infield single in the fifth, his first major league hit.

After a walk to Ramon Vazquez, Kotsay singled in one run. One batter later, Dreifort was called for a balk by first base umpire Mike Winters, allowing Vazquez to score.

Nady, starting in the outfield because of a season-ending injury to slugger Phil Nevin, hit his second homer of the season to lead off the sixth against Dreifort and put San Diego ahead 3-1.

Fred McGriff hit his 479th career homer in the eighth to cut it to 3-2.

Gary Bennett doubled leading off the bottom half and scored on Lou Merloni's safety squeeze for an insurance run.

Game notes
Dreifort dropped to 0-8 in 17 lifetime outings against San Diego, the only team he has yet to beat. The eight losses are the most for Dreifort against any team. ... Condrey had gone hitless in his first eight big league at-bats. ... San Diego's Shane Victorino made his first major league start in left field after making his debut as a pinch-runner Wednesday night.