Dodgers sit Crawford for second straight game

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers are being cautious with Carl Crawford and his tight right hamstring.

Crawford was held out of the lineup for a second straight day Wednesday. The outfielder was a late scratch before Tuesday's game after taking batting practice, but he did not work out with the Dodgers on the field before Wednesday's series finale against the Rockies.

The Dodgers said Tuesday that Crawford was scratched from the lineup as a precaution, but the All-Star's health was not improved Wednesday.

"That's not something that we can play around with," manager Don Mattingly said before Wednesday's game. "We've got to be careful with him."

It is unclear whether Crawford will be able to play Friday at San Francisco. The Dodgers are off Thursday, so that gives him another day to recover before a three-game series against the Giants.

"We'll see where we are Friday," Mattingly said. "Obviously, we're not going to push him. We're going to make sure he's ready to go when he goes back out there."

Crawford played five innings Monday before Jerry Hairston replaced him in left field with the Dodgers trailing, 12-0, in the top of the sixth. Crawford has not played since.

Crawford is hitting .308 in 25 games, and he leads the Dodgers with four homers and 20 runs scored. He hit two solo shots Sunday against the Brewers.

Nick Punto replaced Crawford at the top of the order Wednesday, with Skip Schumaker getting the start in left field.