As Dodgers’ World Turns, Judd Has Stayed in Rotation : Baseball: Rookie right-hander has another impressive outing in 5-3 victory over the Brewers.

He doesn’t have the $105-million contract of Kevin Brown. He doesn’t have the familiar name of Chan Ho Park. He doesn’t have the experience of Ismael Valdes or the blazing speed of Darren Dreifort.

At this stage of his career and at the age of 24, Mike Judd isn’t concerned with all that. For now, he has the one thing he dreamed of--a spot in the Dodgers’ starting rotation.

When Carlos Perez was sent to the minors in search of his velocity and control, the Dodgers planned on auditioning several young pitchers in Perez’s spot.

They gave Judd a chance.

And another.

And another.

Tuesday night, in his fourth start, Judd improved to 3-1 as the Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-3, in front of a Dodger Stadium crowd of 32,771.

It was the Dodgers’ second consecutive victory over Milwaukee and the club’s fourth win in five games and seventh in its last nine.

But none of that figures to matter in the standings for a Dodger club that is well out of the postseason picture at 62-70.

The Dodgers are playing for the future. And that’s why every performance by Judd is so closely watched and analyzed.

“Each start was supposedly going to be his last,” Dodger Manager Davey Johnson said. “We thought we would use him in that spot and also give other guys a chance. I’m not saying we won’t give somebody else a shot, but he is our best candidate right now.”

Judd, 24, wasn’t as sharp as he has been, giving up three runs and seven hits in six innings.

“He didn’t pitch as good as he has before,” Johnson said. “He got the ball up, but he made the pitches he had to. . . . He has made an impression on everybody.”

The right-hander’s confidence seems to grow with every start.

“I wasn’t as nervous as usual,” he said. “I was more comfortable. I worked fastballs in and out, and, when I got ahead, then I tried to make a pitch. I have to be aggressive and not be afraid.”

Judd got off to a shaky start Tuesday when Marquis Grissom singled, then stole second and third as if Judd weren’t even out there on the mound.

Grissom scored on a groundout, but Judd then settled down and the Dodgers started teeing off on Milwaukee starter and loser Kyle Peterson (1-5).

Mark Grudzielanek opened the Dodger half of the first with a single, took two bases on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by Gary Sheffield, who followed that at-bat with three consecutive singles and another RBI.

Grudzielanek singled in a run in the third and Dodger third baseman Adrian Beltre, who also had three hits, doubled in two runs in the fourth to give the Dodgers a 4-2 lead.

But Judd, inconsistent at times, allowed the Brewers to stay in the game. He gave up an RBI single to Kevin Barker in the fourth inning and was touched up for a towering home run by Jeromy Burnitz in the sixth that bounced off the back wall in the visiting bullpen.

By the end of the sixth inning, Judd, having thrown 96 pitches, was done.

Johnson went to his bullpen, using Mike Maddux, Pedro Borbon and Jeff Shaw, Shaw picking up his 29th save by pitching the ninth.

But the most pleasant surprise for Johnson was Borbon, who has struggled of late. Not Tuesday. Brought in with one out in the eighth inning to pitch to Geoff Jenkins and Burnitz, both left-handed hitters, Borbon blew them both down on strikes.

“That’s the sharpest he has been in a while,” Johnson said. “His pitches were very crisp. He looked like his old self. It was good to have him back.”

The one Dodger who has never left is Sheffield. The two RBIs Tuesday gave him 19 in his last nine games.

In Johnson’s eyes, it all comes down to the situations Sheffield finds himself in when he comes to bat.

“We are setting the table for him now,” Johnson said. “We were not doing that before.”

As for Judd, his place at the table remains set. Johnson said he may give a few other young pitchers a spot in the rotation, but Judd definitely will be back.

“They have given me a chance,” Judd said. “I will do whatever they say.”