Brown, Dodgers Revel in Luck

Life on the mound has been unpleasant for Kevin Brown recently, making the Dodger pitcher feel as if he’s cursed.

His teammates exorcised the demons Tuesday afternoon by providing timely support in an 8-4 victory over the Pirates.

Catcher Todd Hundley hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, helping the improving Dodgers regain the lead at 6-4 after the Pirates had rallied from a 4-0 deficit. The go-ahead blast to left field came against former Dodger reliever Brad Clontz, and it helped Brown (10-6) win for the first time in five starts.

The right-hander pitched seven strong innings on another hot and humid day before a crowd of 16,921 at Three Rivers Stadium. The Dodgers (43-49) took two of three from the Pirates (46-47) and won for the eighth time in 10 games.

But Brown hasn’t been experiencing personal success. He was winless (0-2) in his previous four starts. Moreover, Brown had a 7.27 earned-run average during that span.

“This whole season has been that way,” Brown said of his misfortune. “I know this is a results-oriented game, but sometimes you have to get some luck. Sometimes you need a few breaks to go your way.

“Game after game, the same thing. It’s like the witch doctor has the curse on me. If anybody has got anything they can send to get rid of it, please send it because I’ll take it. If it’s good luck, give it up, I’ll take some right now. I’ll take some for myself, and I’ll take some for the team.”

Hundley provided some good luck with his homer against Clontz (0-3).

Raul Mondesi walked to open the inning with Hundley on deck. The switch-hitting catcher, who hit a grand slam during Monday’s 12-7 victory, hit Clontz’s first pitch for his 14th homer of the season.

“It was a fastball basically down and away,” Hundley said. “I was able to get my arms extended and get it [over] the wall.”

Hundley’s homer eased Brown’s frustration after the Pirates capitalized on a misplayed grounder in the seventh to score two runs and tie the score at 4-4.

With a runner on first, Ed Sprague hit a grounder to third baseman Adrian Beltre, and the ball bounced off his glove and into foul ground down the left-field line. Beltre, though, helped Brown with his bat, going two for four with three runs batted in.

The official scorer generously awarded Sprague a double, and the Pirates had the tying run in scoring position with none out. A two-run double by Warren Morris got the Pirates even, and Brown gave up another single to put runners on the corners.

Then Brown went to another level. He retired the next three batters, and his work was finished.

Brown gave up seven hits and four earned runs. He struck out seven without a walk.

Brown impressed his batterymate.

“It was one of the hottest days of the year out there, and I have to give him credit for battling the way he did, especially in the seventh,” Hundley said. “He was throwing smoke from the start. To keep this team down the way he did, that was huge.”

Brown cruised for the first four innings. He retired 12 consecutive batters after giving up a one-out single to Abraham Nunez in the first.

He encountered his first problem in the fifth after striking out Sprague to begin the inning.

Morris singled and Brant Brown followed with his eighth home run of the season, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to 4-2 with the two-run blast to right-center. Brown retired the next five batters.

Brown’s teammates provided support early. They had runners on in each of the first four innings against Pirate starter Jason Schmidt, who labored in the uncomfortable weather.

For a change, Brown had a better day.

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