DODGERS NOTEBOOK : BUTLER INSISTS ON REMAINING LINEUP FIXTURE.

Brett Butler had another surprise for the Dodgers on Sunday. Of course, compared to his comeback from cancer, it was only a mild surprise.

The center fielder, whom many expected to sit out the afternoon game that followed two night games, instead told manager Bill Russell he was ready to play again.

Batting leadoff as usual, Butler walked his first two times up, bounced to the mound and struck out. He has three hits and three walks in 12 plate appearances in his first three games since May 1.

``This was a test today, how I'd react to playing a day game after a night game,'' Butler said. He said he felt ``pretty good . . . a little tired late.''

He added: ``I wouldn't have played if I didn't think I could do the job.''

Russell had said this would be like spring training for a player who had been off four months. But Butler, 39, isn't holding back like a veteran in March.

He played 24 of the Dodgers' 27 defensive innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

``I left it up to Brett,'' Russell said after the Pirates' 4-1 victory Sunday. ``Obviously, there was a lot of emotion the last two days, and it could have caught up to him. But he got on base, and that's all you can ask of a leadoff hitter.

``He'll let us know if he's not able to play.''

Butler's only disappointment seemed to be that he wasn't able to help the Dodgers win Sunday.

``No excuses,'' he said, turning the conversation away from his situation as quickly as possible. ``We had ample opportunities to win the ballgame, but we didn't get it done.''

Also: Although Delino DeShields' fielding error on Al Martin's ground ball was the key to the Pirates' run in the sixth inning, Pedro Astacio was charged with an earned run. That's because official scoring rules say you couldn't assume DeShields would have been able to force Tony Womack out at second. . . . DeShields is in a 1-for-23 slump after going 0 for 3. . . .

Sunday often is a day off for catchers, but not so often for Mike Piazza, who has hit eight of his 33 home runs on Sundays this year. . . . Piazza is batting .418 during his 15-game hitting streak. . . .

The Savannah Sand Gnats, a Dodgers Class-A affiliate, moved on to the best-of-five South Atlantic League finals with a 3-0 victory over the Columbus Red Stixx, sweeping a best-of-three series.