Brown Full of Venom in Loss

Kevin Brown has been especially ornery because the Dodgers put him on the disabled list against his wishes.

The right-hander believed he could have started opening day despite his right Achilles’ tendon injury, and Brown’s disposition did not improve Tuesday night in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2-0 victory before 29,191 at Bank One Ballpark.

Brown was overpowering and efficient in an outstanding season debut, limiting the Diamondbacks to three hits--including Luis Gonzalez’s major league-leading sixth home run--and two runs (one earned) in a complete game.

“It would have been a lot better, obviously, if we had won the game,” said Brown, activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game. “It would have been nice if I had pitched as well and we still won, but that wasn’t the case.”

Brown threw 65 strikes in 88 pitches, struck out eight without a walk, and said his Achilles’ was not a problem.

Unfortunately for Brown, the Diamondbacks’ Curt Schilling caused problems for the Dodgers.

Schilling (2-0) tossed a two-hitter, giving up singles to Paul Lo Duca and Eric Karros. Lo Duca’s single in the sixth thwarted Schilling’s bid for a perfect game.

In pitching his 16th career shutout and 66th complete game, Schilling did not allow a baserunner to reach second base.

The right-hander threw only 20 balls in 93 pitches, struck out 10 without a walk and defeated the Dodgers for the second time in seven days.

“I would have had to have been perfect and I wasn’t,” Brown said. “You have to tip your cap.”

Said Schilling: “I’ve faced Kevin Brown a few times and he’s never not brought his ‘A’ game.”

With Brown and Schilling in top form, the game lasted only 1 hour 55 minutes.

“You can’t do it much better than that,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said. “That was vintage major league pitching at its finest on both sides.”

On a night Brown provided a big boost, the Dodgers dropped to 1-3 against the Diamondbacks, ruining the mood.

“It’s more disappointing for us as a team,” said catcher Lo Duca. “Obviously, he’s our leader. He goes out and throws a game like that and we don’t give him any support. It’s disappointing for us because we knew we had a lift with him coming back and we didn’t do anything for him tonight, which is the bottom line.

“I mean, he was awesome. I know he’s upset but you can’t possibly throw the ball better than he did. Gonzalez hit a good pitch, he hit a home run, but other than that he was dominating. He threw the ball wherever he wanted to. You’re not going to get beat, 99% of the time, the way he threw tonight. Curt just happened to throw awesome too.”

After Mark Grace singled in the third, Brown induced a double-play grounder from Damian Miller and had faced the minimum through three innings.

In the fourth, Arizona leadoff batter Tony Womack laid down a bunt that Brown fielded to the right of the mound, but Karros dropped Brown’s throw.

Womack advanced to third on Jay Bell’s single to center and scored when Gonzalez grounded into a double play.

“I just dropped the ball,” said Karros, who singled to center to start the eighth. “I just dropped it.”

Gonzalez hit a one-out homer to center in the seventh on an 0-and-1 pitch, though Schilling did not need the insurance.

Schilling cruised through the batting order, getting tougher after the Dodgers’ hits.

After Lo Duca singled in the sixth, Alex Cora struck out, Brown popped up and Tom Goodwin struck out.

Schilling quickly retired the side in the eighth after Karros’ single.

“We just ran up against a guy who had it going tonight,” Karros said of Schilling, who had 12 strikeouts in a 7-2 victory over the Dodgers on April 4 at Dodger Stadium. “It was one of the best games I’ve seen Schilling throw.

“But Brownie threw awesome. You expect that from him because he has set a high standard for himself, but every time he goes out there he continues to amaze. If there’s something encouraging you want to look at tonight, I guess that would be it.”