Brown Speeding Back; Ashby Has Slower Going

One Dodger comeback soared over another hurdle like Edwin Moses Sunday, but the other stumbled in the starting blocks.

Kevin Brown, who underwent surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his elbow last September, struck out six of the eight batters he faced in his first Grapefruit League start, a two-inning stint in the Dodgers’ 5-2 loss to Houston.

Andy Ashby, who had the same surgery as Brown last June, struggled in his second exhibition appearance, giving up four runs and five hits in the third inning after retiring the first two batters. Ashby felt no ill effects from throwing 33 pitches in the third, but the manner in which he gave up four runs made him queasy.

There was an 0-1 hanging curve that Chris Truby smacked for a home run, a walk to Richard Hidalgo after getting ahead in the count 1-2, and a run-scoring single to Keith Ginter on an 0-2 pitch. So frustrated was Ashby that he used some form of the word “frustrated” 11 times in a six-minute interview.

“I’ve waited this long to pitch, I don’t want to go out there and stink it up,” said Ashby, who threw a scoreless fourth. “You don’t want to give up four runs with two outs. It’s frustrating to get ahead and then overthrow a pitch when you’re trying to bury a guy. If that stuff happens during the season, it’s going to cost you games.”

It’s probably a sign of progress that Ashby is talking more about his pitching than his elbow. His arm feels good, and he’s happy about that, but Ashby knows he won’t be a feel-good story if he keeps pitching the way he did Sunday.

“You’re going to give up runs, but stupid runs are totally different,” Ashby said. “Giving up 0-2 hits, two-out walks ... it’s frustrating.... I’ve been pitching long enough to know what I have to do. I’m overthrowing the ball, and that has to stop.”

Pitching coach Jim Colborn thought Ashby was too hard on himself.

“The ability to make out pitches is way beyond what his expectations should be right now,” Colborn said. “I felt he was getting impatient. Maybe he thought he’d have surgery, rehab and step in and be a pitcher again. He may have forgotten that long, hard process of preparing, and this is going to remind him of it.”

Ashby had a tough act to follow. Brown was dominant, showing excellent command except for one fastball that hit Hidalgo. He threw 16 pitches, 11 for strikes, in each inning. Only one batter, Julio Lugo, put the ball in play. He had a second-inning single. Brown’s fastball was clocked from 87 to 92 mph, and he threw some nice off-speed pitches.

“I should have saved those for the real season,” Brown said of the strikeouts. “It’s great to get guys out, but if I was giving up hits, it’s still progress. Just getting out there and throwing is clearing another hurdle.”

Manager Jim Tracy plans to start Brown on opening day, April 2, against San Francisco.

“I saw a total focus on going out and getting hitters out,” Tracy said of Brown. “I didn’t see any reservations, any holding back. He’s just a different breed of cat.”

Ashby, though, seems to have a few reservations.

“I really think each time out he’s trying to convince himself that he’s physically OK,” Tracy said. “He’s getting to the point where he’s about to jump over that hurdle, but he’s still not there. The only way to solve it is with more trips to the mound.”

*

The Dodgers had three hits Sunday, but Tracy was impressed with leadoff batter Dave Roberts, who walked in the first inning, stole second, took third on Jeff Reboulet’s grounder and scored on Brian Jordan’s sacrifice fly.

It marked the second time this spring Roberts walked to open a game and scored. That happened only once last season, when Tom Goodwin walked to open a Sept. 26 game against the Giants and scored. Roberts walked and had a bunt single in his two other plate appearances.

*

Left-hander Omar Daal rebounded from two shaky spring outings to throw three scoreless innings Sunday, giving up one hit and striking out four....Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, sidelined by a sore right hamstring, will test the leg by running the bases today. If that goes well, he could make his first exhibition appearance in the next few days.