Ethier May Be Mentally Tired

Mired in his first slump, rookie Andre Ethier isn’t sure how to react. He’s trying not to press, yet he knows he must find a solution.

Ethier still has the Dodgers’ highest batting average at .321, but he didn’t start Wednesday and isn’t expected to start today. Little also benched him in two of the four games at New York last weekend.

“I’m all right,” Ethier said. “I was lucky for a long time and now I’m unlucky. Maybe that’s it.”

Manager Grady Little sees something else. Ethier, who is one for 18 on the trip, is mentally fatigued. Exhibit A was the left fielder’s last at-bat Tuesday, when he grounded out weakly to first base on the first pitch with two out and two runners on base in the 10th inning.

“That was a sign,” Little said. “This kid has played so hard for us and he’s having a rough time. Not so much his body, but his mind needs a break. This is the first time through this for him, and the first time in the month of September. He’s above and beyond his years in maturity.”

Little went with veteran Marlon Anderson in left field instead of a younger player such as Matt Kemp, Jason Repko or James Loney.

“We have choices, and we are going with experience,” Little said. “Marlon will give us good quality at-bats, and he’s played enough left field to be comfortable.”

*

Closer Takashi Saito wasn’t used in the 11-inning game Tuesday and won’t be used with the score tied on the road the rest of the season.

“If we were tied in the top of the ninth at home, that’s a different story,” Little said.

Saito also won’t be used for more than one inning because the Dodgers want him available to pitch every day.

*

In preparation for his start Saturday against the San Diego Padres, Chad Billingsley faced hitters as planned, but they weren’t swinging bats, which wasn’t planned.

A rain-soaked field prevented the rookie right-hander from pitching off the mound before the game, so he made 77 pitches in the bullpen, the last 31 with Delwyn Young or Loney standing at the plate.

Bullpen coach Dan Warthen stood without a mask behind bullpen catcher Rob Flippo to serve as umpire. On the suggestion of pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, Billingsley uncorked the first pitch over Flippo and Warthen’s head.

Such is humor in the big leagues.

More important, Billingsley, who hasn’t pitched since Aug. 27 because of a strained muscle in his left side, felt fine. He threw several curveballs and changeups.

“My arm feels unbelievable and there was no pain in my side,” he said. “We’ll see how I feel [today]. If everything is good, I’ll be ready to go.”

Billingsley knows what’s at stake against the Padres.

“It’s not often a rookie gets to pitch in a big pennant race,” he said.

*

The 17 runs Tuesday were scored by different players, the first time since such records were kept in 1974 that more than 15 different players scored all the runs in a game. ... The Dodgers and Cubs entered the game with a record of 1,004-1,004 since they began playing each other in 1890.