Ashby’s Injury Forces More Juggling of Rotation

The rotation was altered again Monday because right-hander Andy Ashby has a muscle strain on his pitching elbow, Manager Jim Tracy said.

Pitching coach Jim Colborn said Sunday that Ashby and Chan Ho Park had been switched, with Park scheduled to pitch Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants and Ashby on Thursday.

Now, Eric Gagne is expected to start the final game of the series at Pacific Bell Park, and Kevin Brown will pitch Friday in the opener of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers plan for Ashby, who last pitched April 12, to start Saturday against the Padres.

The bruise on right-hander Brown’s left elbow is not expected to sideline him, the Dodgers said.

Brown left Sunday’s 5-4 victory in the sixth inning after being hit by a pitch from Padre reliever Rodney Myers.

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General Manager Kevin Malone criticized former manager Davey Johnson because the club was too dependent on home runs in 2000, but little has changed. In their first 13 games, the Dodgers topped baseball with 25 homers, but had the fourth-lowest batting average at .226.

“Guys aren’t quite where they want to be,” Tracy said. “It’s just something that you have to deal with, though we see signs of some guys coming out it. We’ll get there.”

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Although Tracy stressed defense and fundamentals in spring training, the Dodgers have the fourth-worst fielding percentage in the league at .975 and are tied for third in the majors with 12 errors. Last season, the Dodgers had a .978 fielding percentage and committed 135 errors--tied for second highest in baseball.

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In the last five games of the trip, left fielder Gary Sheffield is eight for 15 with five homers, nine runs batted in, eight runs and four walks. Sheffield is second among Dodger regulars with a .359 average and leads the team with six homers and 11 RBIs.

ON DECK

* Opponent--San Francisco Giants, three games.

* Site--Pacific Bell Park.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Channel 5 tonight and Thursday, Fox Sports Net 2 on Wednesday.

* Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Records--Dodgers 7-6, Giants 7-5.

* Record vs. Giants--2-1.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ DARREN DREIFORT

(1-1, 6.75 ERA)

vs.

GIANTS’ SHAWN ESTES

(0-1, 6.20 ERA)

* Update--It seems fitting that Giant left fielder Barry Bonds might hit his 500th home run against the Dodgers at Pacific Bell Park. The future Hall of Famer has 499, and with 472 stolen bases is on the verge of becoming baseball’s first 500-500 player. The perennial all-star is the only player with at least 400 homers and steals, and the Giants hope Bonds will reach another plateau against their rivals. Dreifort is coming off a strong six-inning outing Wednesday in an 11-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark. It will be interesting to see who is Dreifort’s catcher tonight because he struggled in his first start paired with Paul Lo Duca, and was effective in his last with Chad Kreuter. Estes gave up nine hits--including four homers--and seven runs April 6 in the Dodgers’ 10-1 victory at Dodger Stadium.

* Wednesday, 7 p.m.--Chan Ho Park (2-0, 3.32) vs. Kirk Rueter (2-0, 5.51).

* Thursday, 7 p.m.--Eric Gagne (0-1, 5.29) vs. Livan Hernandez (1-2, 7.56).