Brown Adds Some Shine

Had the Dodgers not salvaged the finale of a four-game series against the Florida Marlins, their mood would have resembled the weather system that brought driving rain, thunder and lightning and gusty winds to South Florida late Wednesday night and Thursday morning: a tropical depression.

But the skies cleared in time for Thursday afternoon’s game, and the Dodgers’ outlook on the playoff race brightened considerably after a 6-4 victory over the Marlins before 12,561 in the steamy confines of Pro Player Stadium.

Kevin Brown, starting on three days’ rest for the first time in three years because Andy Ashby is ill, gave up three runs and five hits in a gutsy, seven-inning, 111-pitch effort, and Adrian Beltre and Jeromy Burnitz each hit two-run home runs to give the Dodgers a split of the series and move them within four games of the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League wild-card race.

The victory took some of the sting out of two consecutive heart-breaking, extra-inning defeats, in which walk-off home runs by reserves Ramon Castro on Tuesday night and Mike Mordecai on Wednesday night touched off wild Marlin celebrations at home plate.

But it didn’t come without a scare. The Marlins, taking advantage of a rare error by shortstop Cesar Izturis, scored to trim the lead to 6-4 in the eighth inning and had runners on first and third with two out.

But reliever Paul Quantrill got Derrek Lee to bloop to shallow right, and second baseman Alex Cora ranged back for the catch, with the ball clinging to the tip of his glove. Closer Eric Gagne then struck out the side in the ninth for his 40th save to preserve the victory for Brown (12-6).

“I thought Brown was stupendous,” Dodger pitching coach Jim Colborn said, “and the fact that he did it on three days’ rest adds to it. To come out, give up a three-run home run [to Miguel Cabrera in the second inning], sometimes it’s hard to keep your concentration. But he did. He came out tougher after that.”

The Dodgers trailed, 3-2, in the fifth when Shawn Green, who had three singles and two stolen bases, drew a two-out walk from Marlin starter Mark Redman.

Beltre, who struck out in his first at-bat and flied to center in his second, then drove a 1-and-1 pitch to deep center field. Juan Pierre drifted back and appeared to have a play, but the ball carried over the wall for Beltre’s 13th home run of the season and a 4-3 Dodger lead.

The hit also gave Beltre 55 runs batted in this season and moved the third baseman to within two RBIs of team leader Green.

Dodger catcher Paul Lo Duca helped quell a potential rally in the sixth when, after Luis Castillo led off with an infield single, he threw out Castillo trying to steal second base. The Marlins lead the NL in stolen bases but were caught on five of their seven attempts in the series.

Green also sparked a Dodger rally in the seventh when he led off with a single, stole second and scored when Burnitz, with two outs, lined reliever Armando Almanza’s first pitch over the right-field wall for his 24th home run of the season and 6-3 Dodger advantage.

“We got a big home run from Beltre, and Burnitz’s homer was a huge blow,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said. “It created some breathing room for Kevin Brown and the guys who set up Gagne.”

The Dodgers, who scored one run in their previous 19 innings, struck first Thursday when Lo Duca was hit by a pitch with one out in the first inning, Green singled to right and Ron Coomer, getting a rare start at first base, dribbled a two-out RBI single to center field for a 1-0 lead.

But the Marlins countered in the second when Mike Lowell led off with a single to right, Lee drew a one-out walk and Cabrera, the 20-year-old left fielder, flicked his bat at Brown’s first-pitch slider and lofted the ball over the right-field wall for his seventh homer of the season and a 3-1 lead.

“If I hadn’t given up a home run in a jet stream, it would have been an easier game,” Brown said.

The Dodgers pulled to within 3-2 in the fourth when Burnitz reached on an infield single, stole second and scored on Jolbert Cabrera’s double to right. Outside of the second inning, Brown allowed only one runner to reach second base.

“He was a wind-enhanced home run away from throwing seven scoreless innings,” Tracy said.