Brown Weathers Frustration With Strong Outing

DENVER — Frustration has been evident on his face daily throughout the Dodgers’ disastrous season.

Losing infuriates pitcher Kevin Brown, and the right-hander has often felt helpless as the Dodgers repeatedly embarrassed themselves.

Finally, though, the finish line is in sight.

Brown overcame sinus problems on a cold Sunday afternoon to lead the Dodgers to a 5-2, rain-shortened victory over the Colorado Rockies before 41,952 at Coors Field.

Brown improved to 17-8 by pitching 6 2/3 strong innings in the seven-inning game that was delayed 1 hour 6 minutes.

Pedro Borbon earned his first save of the season by getting Larry Walker to hit a fly ball to center for the final out in the seventh with runners on first and second. Then the tarp was put on the infield.

“Brownie was outstanding, but it was raining all day and it was cold, so I didn’t want to take any chances,” Manager Davey Johnson said of removing Brown in the seventh. “Knowing that he was a little beat up, I just wanted to get him out of there.”

Working in his customary short-sleeve shirt in 40-degree weather, Brown gave up seven hits--including one home run--and two runs. He struck out seven and walked two while winning for the first time in three starts despite giving up only three earned runs in 17 innings in his previous two outings.

Left fielder Gary Sheffield, weakened by a viral infection, hit a two-run homer against Colorado starter John Thomson (1-8). The homer was Sheffield’s 27th and second in the series. Center fielder Devon White hit a solo homer--his 12th.

The Dodgers (69-80) took two of three from the Rockies (67-83) in the battle of the National League West’s worst teams. The fourth-place Dodgers finished the season 5-8 against the last-place Rockies, who have also been among the major league’s most-disappointing teams.

The season is finally almost finished, and Brown and his teammates couldn’t be happier.

“I think everyone is out there playing hard and doing the best they can, but I also think everyone is kind of looking to the finish line,” Brown said. “I think everyone is looking to the off-season and wanting to put this year behind us.

“It’s going to be kind of a different situation for me because it has been a couple of years since I had to deal with this [failing to qualify for the playoffs]. You just want to go into the off-season and work hard and try to have a better year next year.”

The $105-million pitcher has had a good season individually and in the clubhouse, trying to do all he can to give the Dodgers their money’s worth. Brown is among the major-league pitching leaders in several categories, and he has counseled the young Dodger starters as best he can.

“They brought him in to be a No. 1 starter, and that’s what he has been,” first baseman Eric Karros said. “As far as all the other stuff goes [making other members of the pitching staff better], you can only talk so much. When guys are out there [on the mound], they’re on their own.”