Dodgers manager Joe Torre once again faced the same four-outfielders-for-three-spots dilemma that he dealt with at the beginning of the season when left fielder Juan Pierre was activated from the 15-day disabled list on Friday. While refusing to commit to anything long-term, Torre chose to handle it for the first day by benching Andre Ethier and keeping colossally slumping center fielder Andruw Jones in the lineup.

Jones responded by going 1-for-3 with a double that missed leaving the yard by no more than a foot. But he also went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position, leaving him four for 53 with 30 strikeouts in such situations.

Jones also was booed every time he came to the plate and even when he caught a routine, sacrifice fly to deep center by Washington's Willie Harris in the third inning.

Ethier didn't play.

Torre said that while he hasn't yet made up his mind on how all of this will play out, he said he will make it up fairly quickly.

"We're at a point in the season where we can't take a month to make up our minds for anything," he said.

DODGERS 3, NATIONALS 2: Chad Billingsley scattered five hits over 7 2/3 solid innings Friday, allowing just two runs. Jonathan Broxton came in with the tying run on second in the eighth and retired four consecutive batters for the save. Nomar Garciaparra drove in two of the Dodgers' runs with a bases-loaded single in the sixth inning, and James Loney followed with a run-scoring groundout. The Dodgers improved to 15-12 in one-run games.

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