Brown’s ERA Gets Dose of the Rockies

Kevin Brown flunked his first test at Coors Field.

Brown had his shortest outing since last May 28 and saw his earned-run average balloon from 0.96 to 2.16 as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Florida Marlins, 7-3, on Wednesday.

Walt Weiss had two hits for the Rockies, including a two-run triple that broke a sixth-inning tie, and the bottom four hitters in Colorado’s lineup combined to go eight for 11 against Brown (2-1).

“I threw a lot of bad pitches,” Brown said. “This is not a place to have a bad day physically. It is hard to be mediocre here and get by with it.”

Brown, who had pitched at least six innings in his previous 26 starts, gave up five runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out two before leaving after Colorado starter Jamey Wright hit a run-scoring single that made it 5-2.

Wright (3-1) finished with two hits and two runs batted in, and gave up three runs and 10 hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out two. Bruce Ruffin pitched 1 1/3 innings for his third save.

Brown had not given up five earned runs since surrendering five to San Diego last July 29. But he ran into a Colorado team that has 29 runs and 54 hits in its last three games.

Against the Dodgers last season, Brown was 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in three starts.

Ahead, 2-1, in the fifth, Brown gave up a run-scoring single to Wright but escaped further trouble when Weiss was thrown out at home plate and Andres Galarraga hit into an inning-ending fielder’s choice with the bases loaded.

Brown wasn’t so fortunate in the sixth, giving up a hit to Vinny Castilla, a walk to Jeff Reed preceding Weiss’ triple off the right-field wall. Wright followed with a line single over a drawn-in infield.

Last season, the Marlins went 2-5 at Dodger Stadium and 6-19 against the NL West. They were swept last week at San Francisco.

Bobby Bonilla went one for 12 during Florida’s five-game road trip.