Ashby Gets a Chance to Start Over

After two harrowing extra-inning stints, Dodger right-hander Andy Ashby will finally have a little breathing room in his next game -- Ashby will start in place of injured left-hander Odalis Perez on Saturday night against the San Francisco Giants.

Ashby’s transition from rotation to bullpen has been as rocky as the Maine coastline. In two of his three appearances, he entered games that were tied in extra innings, giving up a two-run homer to Lyle Overbay in the 12th inning of a 6-4 loss to Arizona on April 7 and a run-scoring double to Marvin Benard in the 12th inning of a 5-4 loss to the Giants on Sunday night.

“He’s always been the last man standing [in the bullpen], and that’s sort of an unfair circumstance for him,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “It’s not anyone’s fault. You play extra innings, you use [closer Eric] Gagne, you don’t score, and you’re at a point where Andy has to pitch until the team wins or loses. That’s a rude introduction into what he’s trying to do.”

Ashby, whose last regular-season relief appearance before this season was in 1993, has made no excuses for his extra-inning struggles, “but those are definitely situations I’m not used to,” he said.

“Those games were crazy. It will be nice to have some leeway.... It will be nice to start and get back to what I’m used to.”

Perez, who sprained his right ankle Friday night in San Francisco, played catch Thursday but was unable to throw in the bullpen, a prerequisite for him returning to the rotation.

The Dodgers have pushed his bullpen workout to Sunday, so Perez won’t pitch again until Tuesday at the earliest. “We don’t want to rush him,” Tracy said. “And we may want him to throw a couple of bullpens before he goes back to the mound.”

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Padre catcher Gary Bennett, who was on the receiving end of a punishing home-plate collision with Brian Jordan Wednesday night, was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. The injury will not require surgery, and Bennett is expected to return in early May. San Diego recalled catcher Michael Rivera from triple-A Portland to replace Bennett.... Dodger batting instructor Jack Clark, who is recovering from serious injuries incurred in a March 30 motorcycle accident, was unable to attend Thursday night’s game because of a doctor’s appointment.

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ON DECK

Opponent -- San Francisco Giants, three games.

Site -- Dodger Stadium.

Tonight -- 7.

TV -- Channel 13 tonight and Saturday night.

Radio -- KFWB (980), KWKW (1330).

Records -- Dodgers 7-9, Giants 13-2.

Record vs. Giants -- 0-3.

Tonight -- Kevin Brown (1-0, 2.60 ERA) vs. Jason Schmidt (1-0, 2.79).

Saturday, 7 p.m. -- Andy Ashby (0-2, 6.75) vs. Damian Moss (2-0, 3.24).

Sunday, 5 p.m. -- Hideo Nomo (1-3, 2.51) vs. Kurt Ainsworth (3-0, 3.79).

Tickets -- (323) 224-1448.