Jordan’s Back Hurts; Brown Almost Ready

While pitcher Kevin Brown moved one big step closer to returning from back surgery Friday night, there was concern that the Dodgers might lose left fielder Brian Jordan to a back injury.

Jordan, who sat out Friday night’s game against the Phillies and is doubtful for tonight, injured the left side of his lower back while avoiding a pitch Monday in Philadelphia.

The back stiffened while the Dodgers’ charter plane sat on a runway for 4 1/2 hours in Philadelphia before a five-hour flight home Sunday night, but Jordan still played Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night. He aggravated the injury Thursday when he made a diving catch of Jason Kendall’s fly ball in the fourth inning.

“I need a day off,” Jordan said. “The doctor thinks it’s just a strain--we’ll see. I’m concerned because I sat out for three-quarters of the 1997 season [with a back injury]. I don’t want to go that route.”

Jordan had a herniated disk in 1997--the same injury that sidelined Brown for two months this season--but he opted for rehabilitation instead of surgery and played in only 47 games for the Cardinals.

Asked if this injury felt similar to the one in 1997, Jordan, who has battled a sore left knee all season, said: “I don’t know.... I’m trying to say no, just to be on the positive side. They don’t think it’s a disk problem. They think it’s muscular.”

Jordan is batting .271 with 13 homers and 50 runs batted in, but he hasn’t homered since July 6 and has only six RBIs since the All-Star break. He will likely undergo a precautionary MRI test if his condition doesn’t improve in the next few days.

Though he knocked in two runs Thursday night, his first multiple-RBI game since July 2, Jordan was not in peak physical condition.

“I’m scared to turn it loose and swing hard,” Jordan said. “I don’t want to be in a position where I’m worried about swinging the bat hard. Then I made that diving catch, and that didn’t help. But if I’m gonna play, I’m gonna lay it on the line.”

*

Brown, making his second and probably final minor league rehabilitation start before being activated next week, gave up one earned run and five hits in six innings for triple-A Las Vegas at Edmonton on Friday night.

Brown struck out four and walked one during an 86-pitch outing in which he threw 56 strikes and retired the first 11 batters. General Manager Dan Evans, who attended the game, said Brown’s fastball was clocked between 87-90 mph.

“I don’t think he had his best stuff, but he battled,” Evans said. “He competed real well and had no pain or problems afterward.”

Evans said the Dodgers won’t make a decision on whether Brown needs another rehab start until Sunday or Monday. “He’s having no problems now, but I want to wait and see how he feels [today] and Sunday,” Evans said.

When Brown returns, Omar Daal or Kazuhisa Ishii will go to the bullpen. Daal’s bullpen success this season--he went 4-0 with an 0.88 earned-run average before replacing Brown in the rotation in early June--makes him the most likely candidate.

Ishii hasn’t pitched in relief since 1994 in Japan, and his control problems--he leads the National League with 91 walks--are a major deterrent to him being used in relief. But Ishii has been rocked for 17 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings of his last three starts, and the Dodgers’ patience with him is wearing thin.

“There are certain things you have to ask--can you bring him in with runners on base? What is his warmup time? What’s his comfort level out of the bullpen?” Manager Jim Tracy said of Ishii.

“We will do what’s best for the Dodgers, not what’s best for any individual.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

HIDEO

NOMO

(11-6, 3.40 ERA)

vs.

PHILLIES’

BRANDON

DUCKWORTH

(5-8, 4.93 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7

TV--Channel 13. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Update--Hot-hitting Adrian Beltre remained in the third spot Friday night, even with right-hander Brett Myers pitching for Philadelphia, and Tracy said he could envision Beltre staying there “as long as he has quality at-bats time after time.” With Shawn Green heating up at the plate, Tracy likes the idea of batting them third and fourth. “I’ve seen [San Francisco shortstop] Rich Aurilia get some awfully good pitches to hit with [Barry] Bonds behind him in the order,” Tracy said. “Or you can take your choice, pitch to Beltre or Green.” Duckworth, the Phillie right-hander, struck out the first six Dodgers he faced on Monday but got his third consecutive no-decision in Philadelphia’s 7-5 win. He ranks eighth in the NL with 131 strikeouts. Nomo is 5-1 with a 2.88 ERA in his last 10 starts.

Tickets--(323) 224-1448.