Sore Shoulder Sidelines Martinez

Dodger starter Ramon Martinez was scratched from today’s game against the Giants because of a sore right shoulder. Martinez will be examined by team physician Frank Jobe on Monday.

Tom Candiotti will make his first start of the season. Candiotti, 3-2 with a 2.76 earned-run average in 23 games, has given up only five earned runs in his last 16 outings over 20 2/3 innings.

Martinez was originally scheduled to start Friday, but his start was moved back a day because Manager Bill Russell wanted to give him an extra day’s rest after he threw too many pitches in his last two outings.

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Outfielder Billy Ashley said he hasn’t changed his mechanics.

Ashley, who hit a game-winning, two-run pinch-hit home run in Wednesday night’s 7-5 victory over the Angels, hit a solo home run in Thursday night’s 5-2 loss to the Giants.

“As a hitter you’re the one who should be the most surprised when you hit a home run,” Ashley said.

Ashley, who hit a club-record five pinch-hit home runs last season, has one this season.

“He has the power to hit it out of any part of the ballpark,” Russell said. “Last night he hit it to dead center and the wind was blowing out.”

Ashley, one of the Dodgers’ worst defensive players, almost collided with center fielder Brett Butler on a fly ball to left-center Thursday. Butler had to dive to avoid hitting Ashley.

“I was calling it and I would assume that he was calling it and I didn’t hear him,” Ashley said. “Before the game we always talk and he always goes low and I go high. I just made sure I stayed higher than him. We know where each other is out there. If we do collide, it will probably be his fault.”

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Mike Piazza, whose 11-game hitting streak ended when he went hitless in two at-bats with two walks in Thursday night’s loss to the Giants, said he wasn’t concerned with the streak.

“It was not a big priority on my list,” said Piazza, who had a career-high 19-game hitting streak last season. “Ten games is one thing and 20 games is another.”

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Outfielder Eric Anthony, who was designated for assignment Tuesday, agreed to go to triple-A Albuquerque on Friday.

TODAY’S GAME

DODGERS’ TOM CANDIOTTI (3-2, 2.76 ERA) vs. GIANTS’ WILLIAM VANLANDINGHAM (4-4, 4.19)

3Com Park, 1 p.m.

TV--Channel 11. Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Update--Candiotti will make his first start of the season in place of Ramon Martinez, who has a sore shoulder. Candiotti has a career record of 2-9 with 4.29 earned-run average against the Giants. Rookie outfielder Karim Garcia hit his first major league home run Friday, a three-run blast in the second inning. VanLandingham no-hit the Dodgers for 7 2/3 innings in a 6-0 victory last July at Dodger Stadium. But he has struggled with control this season, averaging more than six walks per nine innings.