Rookie Prokopec Links Troubles to Soreness in Ribs

Dodger rookie right-hander Luke Prokopec acknowledged Saturday he has been hampered by tightness on the right side of his rib cage of late.

In his last three starts, Prokopec has given up 15 earned runs and six home runs in 16 innings for an 8.44 earned-run average while going 0-2 with a no decision.

“You could say that it’s rookie struggles and all that,” said Prokopec, who added he feels better and will start for the Dodgers today against the Angels in the Freeway Series interleague finale.

“[It hasn’t been good] the last three starts,” he said. “But you learn a couple of things when you do not do quite so well.”

Prokopec said the tightness has limited his ability to follow through on pitches and, thus, balls have been left up in the strike zone and batters have been taking advantage.

He pointed to the opposite-field home run Texas Ranger first baseman Rafael Palmeiro hit Monday night as an example of a pitch he left up.

“An inch down and that’s a ground ball to the shortstop,” he said.

Against the Rangers, Prokopec gave up career highs in earned runs (seven) and home runs (three).

Kevin Brown was annoyed at the brutal traffic conditions that made his trip from the Sherman Oaks area to Edison Field a grueling 2 1/2-hour drive Saturday afternoon. But the Dodger pitcher expressed relief at the result of the nerve conduction test that ruled out a connection between the inflamed nerve in his neck and the weakening in his right (throwing) hand.

“I don’t have to worry about having surgery on my neck,” Brown said, “which is obviously a good thing.

“I’m just fixing to start a throwing program.”

Brown, who last pitched May 29, played catch before the Dodger-Angel game in the Edison Field outfield and reported no problems.

TODAY

DODGERS’ LUKE PROKOPEC

(6-3, 4.54 ERA)

vs.

ANGELS’ PAT RAPP

(1-7, 4.44 ERA)

Edison Field, 1 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330), KLAC (570), XPRS (1090)

Update--Against the Dodgers, Rapp is 1-3 with a 3.38 ERA in seven games. He last faced the Dodgers on April 27, 1997 as a member of the Florida Marlins.