Injuries Ruin Dodgers’ Day

The Dodgers will be without pitcher Kevin Brown and outfielder Gary Sheffield indefinitely after the two key players were among four injured Saturday in the club’s improbable 6-5, 10-inning victory over the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.

Brown suffered a fractured pinkie finger on his throwing hand after being hit by a pitch by New York starter Pat Mahomes while trying to bunt in the fifth. The break begins at Brown’s knuckle and extends into the digit’s shaft, team trainer Stan Johnston said.

The right-hander, removed after holding the Mets scoreless in their half of the inning, is expected to be sidelined three to four weeks, though a timetable won’t be known until Brown is examined by team physician Norman Zemel, the club’s hand specialist, Monday in Los Angeles.

Sheffield’s work ended in the first inning of the afternoon game that featured Devon White’s ninth-inning, two-out, game-tying, three-run home run against John Franco, and Eric Karros’ two-out, game-winning solo shot, his second homer in as many innings, against New York closer Armando Benitez in the 10th.

Left fielder Sheffield suffered a severely sprained right ankle while falling on the warning track in pursuit of a ball hit by Jon Nunnally. Sheffield landed awkwardly while shifting his weight to avoid fracturing his ankle.

Sheffield, on crutches as he left the visitors’ clubhouse, also could be sidelined for several weeks. X-rays were negative, and he will be reevaluated today.

Moreover, relievers Gregg Olson and Mike Fetters aggravated injuries during their appearances before 37,814.

Olson has a right forearm strain that will put him on the disabled list along with Brown. Fetters, listed as day-to-day, experienced pain in his left quadriceps muscle for the first time since suffering the injury in spring training.

General Manager Kevin Malone said late Saturday night that the club will recall two pitchers from triple-A Albuquerque for the upcoming series against the San Francisco Giants at Pacific Bell Park. Eric Gagne, Mike Judd and Jeff Williams are the leading candidates, and struggling left-hander Carlos Perez, optioned Friday, also might receive consideration.

The Dodgers ended a three-game losing streak after trailing by four runs beginning the ninth, but the club’s mood was understandably downcast because of Saturday’s other losses.

“Somebody already said it, ‘We won the battle, but we lost the war with what happened to Brownie and Sheff,’ ” said Karros, who had the 15th multiple-homer game of his career. “We’ve had days where Mike [Piazza] went down and Ramon [Martinez] went down, but not on the same day.

“We would obviously rather have taken an ‘L’ and gotten out of here healthy today, but we’re not going to be the only team dealing with injuries. Everyone talks about how much deeper we are this year, and now we’re going to find out. This is about as big a test as you can have.”

Losing Brown could have a devastating effect on a rotation already considered shaky. The staff ace is the only starter the Dodgers can rely on for consistency.

Predictably, the intense pitcher said he hopes to continue working despite the pain.

“I’m going to try to go out there as soon as possible,” said Brown, whose hand was immobilized in a splint. “Someone is going to have to convince me [pitching with the fracture] is going to affect me for a long time. If they can immobilize it [and enable him to grip the ball], and I won’t inflict too much damage on it, I’d like to do it.

“Even if it heals wrong, as long as they think there’s some way to fix it [surgically] in the off-season, I want to keep throwing. You’re not even really using that finger. I understand what [the club’s] approach will be, but it just comes down to what the doctors say. We’ll just take it from there.”

Not surprisingly, the Dodgers plan to be especially careful with the $105-million pitcher.

“He’s going to want to pitch with it, that’s just Brownie being Brownie, but I don’t see any way he can pitch for at least three or four weeks,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “We’ve got the best doctors in the world, and we’re not going to endanger a great career by bringing him back too soon. We’re not going to let that happen.”

The Dodgers are hopeful that Sheffield will return soon.

However, his sprain occurred in the worst place possible, above the bone on the outside of the ankle. High ankle sprains often sideline players for weeks, and Sheffield appeared concerned.

“When I did it, I didn’t think it was that bad,” said Sheffield, who finished the inning. “But then the swelling started in and I knew [it was bad]. You hate to have a sprained ankle any time, but my right foot is my push-off foot.

“Just to see what [Angel first baseman] Mo Vaughn went through last season with this [a high ankle sprain] was tough. It was tough for him to even play, so I hope this isn’t that bad.”

Malone hopes the Dodgers respond to the challenge.

“You obviously don’t want to lose anybody, especially guys like Sheff and Brownie, but adversity gives other people a chance to step up,” he said. “I’m always optimistic, maybe we can get Sheff back Tuesday or after that, and we have some young pitchers we like. We have some options.”