Ashley Gets the Big Hits in 9-2 Win

Dodger left fielder Billy Ashley, who had trouble relaxing in spring training, batting only .137, has gotten comfortable.

Ashley drove in three runs with a homer and a two-run, broken-bat double Wednesday night as the Dodgers embarrassed the Atlanta Braves, 9-2, before 48,194 at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers, who did little right in their first nine games, did almost everything right as they defeated the defending World Series champions for the second time in three games.

The Dodgers, who had only four home runs coming into the game, drilled three, two off starter Steve Avery. Greg Gagne had a solo homer and Eric Karros a two-run shot.

Ashley said he had trouble relaxing in spring training because he was bothered by several minor injuries.

“I’ve always been a slow starter in spring training,� he said, “and with the hamstring it was something I was very displeased with and I was going to do something about it and I did just that.

“I was pretty happy tonight. . . . I got a good pitch to hit on the home run and he pitched me pretty tough on the double.�

Ashley was frustrated after going hitless in Monday’s home-opening victory over the Braves and talked with Manager Tom Lasorda after he was removed from the game in the sixth inning for defensive purposes.

“That was nothing to do with being taken out,� Ashley said. “I was just upset with the at-bat and I was upset with myself because I knew [Tom] Glavine was going to pitch me a certain way and he did just that.�

Said Lasorda: “I don’t think he was mad because he got taken out of the game. He might have been a little mad because he didn’t hit the ball.

“He knows his role. He knows what we’re going to do with him. That’s all been explained to him.�

The Braves, who committed only five errors in their first eight games, made five errors, including two throwing errors by catcher Javier Lopez. It was the most errors the Braves have made in a game since they committed six against the Dodgers five years ago.

Tom Candiotti (1-1), who got three runs or less in 17 of his 30 starts last season, got plenty of support Wednesday. He gave up two runs on five hits in six innings with six strikeouts.

Candiotti, who was nearly forced to leave the game when he barehanded a comebacker from David Justice in the second inning, issued six walks, but the Braves failed to capitalize, stranding seven runners in the first five innings.

Candiotti gave up homers to Justice and Lopez in the sixth inning as the Braves cut it to 4-2, but that was all they got.

Justice led off the inning with his second homer, into the Brave bullpen. Two batters later, Lopez homed off the left-field foul pole.

Avery (0-1), who gave up seven runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings, got no defensive help from the Braves.

“By the time I settled in, they had broken the game open in the sixth,� Avery said. “When you throw 100 pitches in the first two innings, that’s my fault, not our hitters or our [fielders’].�

Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox wrote off the game.

“The score wasn’t indicative of the way Avery threw,� Cox said. “He threw extremely well. We couldn’t score and we made a lot of errors. We’ll probably have another game like that 50 games from now.�