It's a Blues Day for Brown

By PAUL GUTIERREZ

May 30, 2001 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Kevin Brown hasn’t been the same of late.

After looking untouchable in his first seven starts of the year, the Dodger right-hander has been pounded in two of his last three starts, including Tuesday night’s 7-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies in front of 22,570 at Dodger Stadium.

Brown (6-3) gave up a season-high six runs on seven hits while walking a season-high five batters in six-plus innings. He also struck out seven but gave up two home runs while watching his earned-run average balloon from a National League-leading 1.96 to a more mortal 2.60.

“We just couldn’t get anything going offensively early in the game,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said. “Brownie just wasn’t sharp tonight, obviously. . . . It happens.”

What wasn’t happening, though, was Brown talking about his third consecutive subpar outing. He stayed behind closed doors and did not talk to the media after the game, fueling speculation about the $105-million pitcher’s health. Brown, 36, aggravated a rib-cage injury fielding a bunt in his last start.

In Brown’s first seven starts, he had a 1.09 ERA and walked a total of nine batters. In his past three outings, which include a loss at New York on May 18 and a win at Colorado on May 23, Brown’s ERA is 7.16 and he has walked eight batters.

Until Tuesday night, Brown was unbeaten at 3-0 with an ERA of 0.61 in four Dodger Stadium starts this year.

The Dodgers’ Tuesday woes continued as well, as they are now 0-9 on the day and their five-game winning streak came to an end as well with the loss to the Rockies.

Colorado left-hander Brian Bohanon (2-4), making his first start since coming off the disabled list with an inflamed left elbow, gave up one run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The former Dodger, who called Chavez Ravine home in 1998, struck out four, walked two and hit a batter.

Left fielder Brooks Kieschnick had a career night for Colorado after coming in as part of a double-switch in the bottom of the sixth inning. The left-handed hitting Kieschnick hit his first two homers of the season.

“I don’t know what to say about tonight,” Kieschnick said. “I just try to take good swings and see what happens. I can’t describe how I’m feeling right now.”

Meanwhile, no Dodger had more than one hit. Paul Lo Duca, who Monday tied a franchise record by going six for six, was 0 for 4 to end his career-best seven-game hitting streak. Marquis Grissom, however, drew his first walk of the season in the ninth inning, his 125th plate appearance of the season.

The Dodgers scored first.

With one out in the first inning, Jeff Reboulet doubled down the third base line, drawing cries of protest from Colorado third baseman Jeff Cirillo and Manager Buddy Bell. Both thought Reboulet’s smash was wide of the bag before going into the left-field corner, but third base umpire John Shulock signaled fair.

Two batters later, Shawn Green lined a single into center field, scoring Reboulet from second base with two out for the 1-0 Dodger lead.

Cirillo gave the Rockies a 2-1 lead in the third inning with a two-run homer.

After Brown walked Todd Helton with two out, Cirillo launched an 0-and-2 Brown sidearm delivery into the left-center pavilion. It was Cirillo’s eighth homer of the year.

That’s the way the score remained until the Rockies chased Brown in the seventh.

Bell’s double-switch in the bottom of the sixth inning worked to perfection for the Rockies in their next at-bat.

With Bell pulling Bohanon and replacing him in the No. 9 spot with Kieschnick, the lefty took a 1-and-0 Brown fastball over the left-center wall, scoring Ben Petrick, who had doubled to lead off the inning.

After Juan Pierre singled, Brown labored to bend over and couldn’t pick up Neifi Perez’s bunt.

Tracy left Brown in to face the left-handed Larry Walker, whom he had struck out twice earlier. But Walker had a run-scoring single, prompting Tracy to replace his ace with left-hander Jesse Orosco.

Orosco gave up one run, which would be charged to Brown, before escaping the jam.

Kieschnick’s second bomb of the night came against Gregg Olson in the eighth inning. Kieschnick drove a full-count, two-out Olson changeup into right-field pavilion for a solo home run.

The Dodgers scored in the bottom of the ninth when Hiram Bocachica’s double into the left-center gap off Gabe White scored Green.

Minnesota 6, Angels 5

After Anaheim just misses a winning rally in the ninth inning, Twins win it in the 11th. D5