Fri Jul 4 14:56:42 2008

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Jones, Garciaparra return for Dodgers

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Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Dodgers received a boost on Friday when Andruw Jones and Nomar Garciaparra returned from the disabled list.

Garciaparra will play shortstop for the Dodgers in their afternoon contest with the San Francisco Giants, while Jones will play in center.

Garciaparra has been out since April 26 with a strained left calf, while Jones went on the DL on May 25 with torn cartilage in his right knee. Jones underwent arthroscopic surgery on the knee on May 27.

The former Red Sox shortstop Garciaparra played in only nine games before heading to the DL, as he missed time at the start of the season with a broken hand. The veteran infielder batted only .226 with a homer and five runs batted in before injuring his calf.

A 10-time Gold Glove winner, Jones was batting .167 with two home runs and seven RBI in his first year in Los Angeles when he headed to the DL. Jones signed a two-year, $36.2 million contract in the offseason after spending 12 years with the Atlanta Braves.

To clear roster spots for the two vets the Dodgers placed infielder Mark Sweeney on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring, optioned outfielder Jason Repko to Triple-A Las Vegas, and transferred infielder Rafael Furcal from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL.

Sweeney is hitting a paltry .094 with three RBI in 60 games. Repko went 0- for-7 in a brief call-up from the minors. Furcal underwent surgery on his back on Thursday.