Brown’s as Frustrated as Anyone

Kevin Brown was still frustrated Tuesday after one of the worst starts of his 12-year career.

The Dodger right-hander was chased after giving up seven hits and nine runs (five earned) in 1 1/3 innings Monday in the Florida Marlins’ 11-2 victory at Pro Player Stadium.

But Brown did not make excuses.

He said a rib-cage injury did not affect his performance, downplaying the situation.

Brown said he’s not perfect and bad outings simply happen sometimes.

“It would be nice if it was that easy to blame it on something, but it’s not [injury related],” said Brown, whose earned-run averaged increased from 2.47 to 2.72. “You can only control so much. I wish I had total control to put the ball where I wanted to [Monday] but that’s not the case.

“It’s frustrating and unfortunate when it does happen. It’s not something you want to have happen, but I don’t know what else to do about it.”

Brown (10-5) is 0-2 with two no-decisions in his last four starts, stirring concern the injury is affecting him despite his comments.

He received a cortisone shot Friday and said he worked pain-free against the Marlins. Team trainer Stan Johnston said Brown has not received treatment recently.

So what happened?

“I made some good pitches they hit and made some bad pitches,” Brown said. “Sometimes you make bad pitches and you get somebody to hit the ball to somebody, or they swing and miss, or foul it off, and things are great. When they don’t. . . .”

Brown said the cortisone shot helped, and the Dodgers said he will remain on his regular schedule.

“I’m just trying to get to the point where I’m healthy,” Brown said. “You wind up doing what you can to be pain-free and healthy as you can.

“I’d rather be hurt and getting people out than pain-free and not getting anybody out. Unfortunately, you don’t get to chose.”

The Marlins said Brown threw typically hard for him, and his fastball was clocked consistently at 95-96 mph.

The problem was his pitches weren’t moving enough.

Pitching coach Claude Osteen said he’s not especially concerned.

“We’ve all had nights like that,” said Osteen, a two-time 20-game winner with the Dodgers. “But I’m really not [worried] because I know what a perfectionist he is.

“As soon as he was taken out, he was in here studying tapes. He’ll come up with a plan, he’ll throw between starts and he’ll get it figured out.”

*

Carlos Perez has found his niche.

The left-hander pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings Monday in relief of Brown and has been outstanding since being demoted to the bullpen.

Perez has a 0.83 ERA in five relief appearances, having given up two earned runs in 21 2/3 innings. He has not given up a run in his last 13 2/3 innings.

“Like I said, if this is what they want me to do, this is what I’m going to do,” Perez said. “I still feel like I always feel, I want my spot back in the rotation.

“I don’t look at myself like a reliever but I’m not complaining about nothing. I’m going to my job.”

Of course, Perez only works when the Dodgers are being routed, and most long relievers aren’t making $5 million this season and $7.5 million next.

But the Dodgers are receiving something in return for their three-year, $15.6-million investment in Perez, and he’s willing to cooperate.

For now.

*

Reliever Antonio Osuna is close to receiving several performance bonuses.

Osuna, who has pitched in 34 games, will earn will another $35,000 in his next appearance.

The right-hander also has bonuses for innings.

Osuna, who has pitched 52 1/3 innings, is owed $50,000 after 55 innings and $100,000 after 60 innings.

*

Ismael Valdes worked a scoreless eighth inning Tuesday, giving up a hit and striking out two. It was Valdes’ first relief appearance since May 12, 1995 against the St. Louis Cardinals. . . . F.P. Santangelo’s eighth-inning home run was his first since Aug. 6 last season, when he was with the San Francisco Giants. . . . Catcher Todd Hundley was scratched from the starting lineup because of a sore right knee.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

CHAN HO PARK

(11-8, 3.97 ERA)

vs.

MARLINS’

A.J. BURNETT

(1-3, 4.03 ERA)

Pro Player Stadium, 4 PDT

TV--Fox Sports Net 2.

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330)

* Update--Park pitched well in his last start Aug. 11 but got a no-decision in the Atlanta Braves’ 7-2 victory at Turner Field. The right-hander gave up seven hits and two runs in seven innings. He is 3-2 with a 4.50 ERA against the Marlins. Burnett became the first Marlin starter to earn a victory in his major league debut when he pitched 5 1/3 innings Aug. 17 last season in a 6-1 victory over the Dodgers.