Tracy Doesn’t Want to Push Brown

The Dodgers believe that Kevin Brown’s pitching elbow is the “X factor” in the National League playoff races.

“Brownie definitely could make a huge difference for us down the stretch,” second baseman Mark Grudzielanek said. “Everyone knows that his elbow is kind of a question mark, but he’s going out there and giving us everything he can.”

The right-hander is slowly regaining form because of the still-torn muscle that sidelined him for six weeks, but he displayed positive signs in Friday’s 7-1 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Brown had superb command and movement in the 61/3-inning, 91-pitch outing, and Manager Jim Tracy was especially pleased about his stamina.

“His endurance was better,” Tracy said, “due to the fact that that was his third time out after a six-week layoff.”

Brown improved to 10-4 and lowered his earned-run average to 2.75 in his second victory in as many starts, but Tracy will not push things too much at this point.

Pitching coach Jim Colborn said Brown’s status will be in question as long as he continues to experience elbow tightness after starts, and Colborn is monitoring the situation closely.

Brown is focused only on trying to give the Dodgers a boost down the stretch.

“That’s what it’s all about,” said Brown, who might undergo surgery after the season. “You don’t get many chances [in postseason play], and you have to do whatever you can when you’re close. That’s just the way it is.”

Shortstop Alex Cora had struggled in the field while trying to establish himself as an everyday player earlier this season.

Although the Dodgers didn’t expect much from Cora at the plate, they were concerned that he had 13 errors at the All-Star break.

Interim General Manager Dave Wallace and Dan Evans, his top assistant, considered acquiring a veteran middle infielder, but decided to stick with Cora.

He has responded to the opportunity, becoming a steady infield presence while helping the Dodgers remain in postseason contention.

Cora has committed only five errors in the second half and has routinely made nifty plays.

“Every groundball that’s hit to him, when you watch his body language, you know it’s going to be an out, you just know it,” Tracy said. “He’s played shortstop as well as anybody in this league over the course of the last three months.”

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Reliever Matt Herges was not available to pitch Saturday because of a strain in his left side, Tracy said. The injury occurred during Friday’s victory, in which the right-hander worked 12/3 scoreless innings and knocked in his first career run.... Shawn Green’s team-leading 115 runs batted in are the most since 1962, when Tommy Davis had a franchise-record 153 RBIs and Frank Howard had 119.