His Neck Sore, Butler Goes Home

Outfielder Brett Butler, suffering from what was described as an irritation in the right area of the neck and what is believed to be a soft-tissue infection, flew home to Atlanta to be examined by his personal physician, Robert Gadlage.

Although there is no indication of a greater problem, there is always concern in Butler’s case about medical problems in the neck area since he was operated on for throat cancer a year ago.

Butler said he was prescribed antibiotics to fight the infection and will be examined again Friday morning. He said if the swelling is reduced, he will rejoin the team Friday night in time for the game against the Oakland Athletics at Dodger Stadium. If the swelling persists, Butler said he would be examined by an oncologist and get an MRI exam for further diagnosis.

“It’s routine, but they just check everything out,” Butler said.

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Midway through his meeting with the media, Manager Bill Russell excused himself to take a phone call.

It was from Chicago White Sox Manager Terry Bevington.

“He just wanted to tell me,” Russell said, “that [Darren Lewis] is a good kid, and he always comes prepared to play.”

The Dodgers already had figured on that. That’s why Executive Vice President Fred Claire made the deal to acquire Lewis from the White Sox for a player to be determined.

Lewis, who turns 30 today, has spent parts of eight seasons in the majors, playing for San Francisco, Cincinnati and Oakland, as well as the White Sox.

He was batting .234 for Chicago in 81 games with five RBIs and 11 stolen bases. But since the All-Star break, Lewis is batting .333, and in August, he is batting .389.

Lewis has a career average of .245 with 13 homers, 193 RBIs and 183 stolen bases in 801 games.

Lewis holds the major league record for consecutive errorless game (392) and total chances (938).

The Dodgers acquired Lewis to make up for the loss of Roger Cedeno, who suffered a broken left foot Monday.

With Butler’s health suddenly in question and with Todd Hollandsworth on the disabled list because of an injured right arm, Lewis will become the left fielder.

*

This apparently is the end of Billy Ashley’s career with the Dodgers. Garey Ingram, a right-handed hitter like Ashley, got the starting nod over him on Wednesday and Ashley could be the player to complete the Lewis trade. . . . To make room for Lewis on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated Chip Hale for assignment. As a member of the Minnesota Twins last season, Hale tied for the major league lead in pinch hits with the San Diego Padres’ Scott Livingstone. Each had 19.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Oakland Athletics, two games.

* Site--Dodger Stadium.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Channel 5 tonight, Fox Sports West 2 on Friday.

* Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Records--Dodgers 75-59, Athletics 52-80.

* Record vs. Athletics--1-1.

TONIGHT’S GAME

DODGERS’ HIDEO NOMO (12-10, 4.14 ERA) vs. ATHLETICS’ BRAD RIGBY

(0-5, 3.75 ERA)

* Update--After a stretch of 20 of 27 games on the road, the Dodgers will play 10 of their next 12 at home. The only road games are two interleague meetings against the Rangers in Texas next week. The Oakland Athletics can be excused for shuddering a bit at the thought of playing at Dodger Stadium. Even though it was a vastly different Oakland team than the one that was here for the first two games of the 1988 World Series, one moment is so indelibly etched in team lore that it would be hard for anyone in an Oakland uniform to forget it. That moment, of course, is Kirk Gibson’s game-winning home run off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1, one of the most memorable homers in baseball history.

* Friday, 7 p.m.--Ismael Valdes (9-10, 2.67) vs. Jimmy Haynes (2-3, 4.76).