A Pinch of Ashley Does Trick

Billy Ashley doesn’t start many games, but he’ll do in a pinch.

Ashley hit a two-run pinch-hit home run off Mike Holtz with one out in the eighth inning as the Dodgers swept a two-game series from the Angels, 7-5, Wednesday night before 45,953 at Dodger Stadium.

Ashley drilled a 2-and-2 pitch an estimated 425 feet into the Dodger bullpen for his fourth home run.

Ashley is accustomed to pinch-hitting, hitting five pinch-hit home runs last season. However, he had only two pinch hits in 14 at-bats before Wednesday night.

“I got used to coming off the bench last year, but I haven’t had a chance to do it much this year,” Ashley said. “He threw me a good pitch to hit.”

The Dodgers’ first six runs came on home runs.

Todd Zeile, who hit two home runs in Tuesday night’s 4-3 win over the Angels, including a game-winning two-out ninth-inning home run, hit a two-run home run in the fifth to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.

Zeile, who has 11 home runs in his last 30 games, feels comfortable at the plate.

“I’m fortunate enough to be getting the right pitches to hit,” Zeile said. “It’s been coming in spurts, but I feel pretty confident when I walk up there. I seem to be taking good swings at least.”

Zeile, who has a team-high 15 home runs, said he usually plays better in the second half.

“This is usually the time of year when I start seeing the ball and start putting those type of numbers up,” he said. “Hopefully, this will be a sign of things to come.”

It was a back-and-forth game.

Raul Mondesi hit a two-run home run with one out in the fourth inning off Angel starter Dennis Springer to tie the score at 2-2.

After receiving a standing ovation when he ran to right field in the fifth inning, Mondesi was booed after he committed a two-base error, letting a routine single by Jim Edmonds go through his legs for a two-base error that allowed Tony Phillips, who led off the inning with a walk, to score from first base and give the Angels a 3-2 lead.

Greg Gagne singled in a run in the eighth inning with two outs off Pep Harris to give the Dodgers an insurance run, and Todd Worrell earned his 16th save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Hideo Nomo inspired Nomomania with his sensational rookie season in 1995, but there’s no more Nomomania.

Nomo struck out 11, but he gave up a game-tying, bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning and a leadoff home run to Tim Salmon in the seventh inning as the Angels took a 5-4 led.

The Angels loaded the bases in the sixth when Jim Leyritz hit a leadoff double, Nomo hit Luis Alicea in the shoulder and then was given a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Gary DiSarcina when Wilton Guerrero pulled his foot off the bag.

Salmon, who drew a two-out walk in the first inning that enabled the Angels to extend the inning, resulting in Garret Anderson’s two-run triple, hit Nomo’s first pitch in the seventh inning into the left-field bleachers for his 10th home run. It was his fourth home run and his 15th RBI in the last 14 games.

Dodger pitching coach Dave Wallace isn’t worried about Nomo, who gave up five runs (three earned) on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

“Last year everybody asked, ‘Is he going to do as good as the previous year?’ and he did,” Wallace said. “He won 16 games last year and he’s won six this year and probably could have won a couple more. We’re in most of the games he pitches.”

Darren Dreifort (2-0) got the victory.

* ROSS NEWHAN: Dodgers and Angels get back to division races before All-Star break. C5

* HE’S NO. 1: Dodgers impressed with first-round selection Glenn Davis. C5