BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Decision on Wallach Expected Soon

Dodger third baseman Tim Wallach, who hasn’t played this season because of a disk injury in his lower back, is eager to return.

With third baseman Garey Ingram committing nine errors in six games, the Dodgers can certainly use Wallach.

“Hopefully I’ll be out there soon if it continues to improve like it has,” said Wallach, who took batting practice, fielded ground balls and ran in the outfield before Sunday’s game.

Wallach said a decision is likely to be made today on when he’ll come off the disabled list.

*

Chris Gwynn, whose eighth-inning pinch-hit single tied Sunday’s game at 5-5, is four for six as a pinch hitter. He doubled in the ninth inning of Saturday night’s 3-2 loss.

Coach Manny Mota, the major league record-holder for pinch hits with 150, has helped Gwynn.

“I’ve talked to Manny to try to understand what’s going on with the pitchers and to try to understand certain situations,” Gwynn said.

*

Outfielder Billy Ashley, who had a career-high three hits in Friday night’s 8-4 victory over the Cardinals, went two for two with a homer and single Sunday. Ashley was six for 10 in the three-game series.

Ashley credits hitting coach Reggie Smith for improving his hitting mechanics.

“My mechanics were messed up,” Ashley said. “I was lunging at the ball and collapsing my back.”

*

Tom Candiotti made the longest start of the season for the Dodgers in Sunday’s 6-5 11-inning loss to the Cardinals, giving up five hits and four runs, two earned, in seven-plus innings. . . . Delino DeShields’ leadoff homer marked the fifth time in his career that he has opened a game with a homer. The last time he had a leadoff homer was April 13, 1992 when he was playing for the Montreal Expos in a game against the Cardinals.