Dodgers sit four regulars vs. lefty Zito

SAN FRANCISCO -- While Andre Ethier is down, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said none of the other regulars left out of Wednesday night's lineup are ailing.

Mattingly sent out a lineup without Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, Juan Uribe or Mark Ellis to face Giants left-hander Barry Zito. Nick Punto started at shortstop, Michael Young at first base, Jerry Hairston at third base and Skip Schumaker at second base.

Mattingly said matchups were part of the explanation. Although Mattingly has said he will baby Ramirez the final week, he also was 4-for-29 lifetime against Zito. Uribe was even worse (2-for-24) and Ellis was 5-for-23.

Gonzalez has a .319 average against Zito, but Mattingly said he wants to give him a preventative day off to keep his quad healthy.

Of the four fill-ins, Schumaker entered the game hitting .389 off Zito, Hairston .370 and Punto was 2-for-4. Young was hitting only .236 against Zito.