Ashley Delivers Fine Reminder

Dodger left fielder Billy Ashley still dreams one day of being a star in the major leagues.

Yet in a season where he mostly sits on the bench reading the newspaper, in anticipation of when the next left-handed pitcher will start, he realizes that he must take full advantage of every game.

And on Saturday night Ashley reminded everyone of his value as the surprise hero in the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory over the Montreal Expos in front of 27,104 at Olympic Stadium.

The Dodgers’ forgotten man of the last six weeks, Ashley’s bases-loaded triple provided the Dodgers a first-inning lead they never relinquished.

“I feel like a caged animal that just got loose on the field,” Ashley said. “I know my role on the team, and I’ve come to accept it. It’s not something I get down upon. I’d like to be an everyday player, but there’s nothing I can do but give it my all and pull for the team.”

Ashley’s first career triple not only provided the Dodgers with their eighth victory in the last 11 games, but the hit also helped shed their long-standing jinx in Montreal. They have won five consecutive games in Montreal for the first time since 1982. It has been so long ago that the last time they accomplished the feat the winning pitchers were Jerry Reuss, Bob Welch, Steve Howe and Fernando Valenzuela [twice].

“I didn’t think we would ever win five in a row here,” said Dodger starter Ramon Martinez (3-0), who won his ninth consecutive decision and has not lost since Aug. 3, 1995. Martinez pitched 6 2/3 innings before stepping aside for a bullpen that stretched its scoreless streak to 17 1/3 innings, with Todd Worrell closing the game for his 13th save.

“I don’t know if there’s another pen in Dodger history that was as effective collectively as this one,” Worrell said. “When you look at the ratio of strikeouts to walks [117 strikeouts, 40 walks], it’s staggering.”

Yet, even with Mike Piazza’s 13th home run of the season in the fifth inning, providing a 5-2 cushion, none of it would have been possible without Ashley.

The Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs in the first inning off Expos’ starter Rheal Cormier. Piazza walked with two outs, Eric Karros singled, and Raul Mondesi walked, bringing up Ashley.

This is a guy whose biggest contribution to the Dodgers the last six weeks was his walk in the 11th inning Friday that led to the winning run. He had not hit a home run, much less driven in a run, since April 13. He was on the disabled list for three weeks because of a strained right hamstring. And even on his return, he has not started a game in a week.

Ashley walked to the plate just wanting to make contact. He was batting .167, with two outs and runners in scoring position, and he could just imagine the moans from his bench if he struck out in this situation.

He swung at the first pitch, a high fastball, and cursed himself while running down the line. He just got under the ball, but the ball kept soaring toward the center-field fence. Montreal center fielder F.P. Santangelo jumped and just missed the ball, which went off the wall and then off his mouth.

Ashley kept on running, and by the time he stopped, he had a stand-up triple. And Santangelo had a busted lip, requiring a stitch to seal the cut.

“That was the hit of the game for us,” Dodger first baseman Eric Karros said. “If he doesn’t come through, it’s zero to zero, and it’s like, ‘Here we go again.’

“But you can see the difference in him this year. He’s more confident. He knows he can play at this level.”

Ashley, whose triple was his first in 384 major league at-bats, acknowledges that.

“I’m refusing to let what happened last year come back to haunt me this year,” he said. “I think I’m a more confident player. . . I know I can do it.”