Fast Ball Works for Brown

Some of Manager Jim Tracy’s sentences, especially those in praise of his players, have run on longer than Sunday’s game between the Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Making quick work of an aggressive-swinging lineup, Kevin Brown needed only 84 pitches to get through an impressive eight-inning, one-run, four-hit performance that led the Dodgers to a 3-2 victory over the Pirates before 40,544 in Dodger Stadium.

Brown (3-1) gave up four singles, struck out two and did not walk a batter, and Cesar Izturis provided the decisive hit -- a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh -- to highlight a game that lasted only 1 hour 55 minutes.

Brown retired the last 11 batters he faced, and the right-hander’s fastball hit 95 mph several times in the eighth, but that didn’t stop Tracy from lifting him in favor of closer Eric Gagne with a two-run lead in the ninth.

In the past, Tracy might have had to wrestle the ball away from Brown, but Brown did not protest -- not when the Dodgers had a closer with a 0.00 earned-run average warming in the bullpen.

“That’s Eric’s department,� Brown said of the ninth inning.

Gagne made Brown and the Dodgers sweat, giving up his first run in 15 appearances this season, but he struck out Matt Stairs on a full-count fastball with a runner on first for his 10th save in 10 opportunities.

“I would have been kicking myself if Kevin had gone out there [in the ninth], had a couple of hitters reach base, and then Gagne has to come in with no breathing room,� Tracy said. “If it was a non-save situation, Kevin would have been out there. But he didn’t fight me on it. He realizes who we’re bringing into the game.�

Gagne struck out Jack Wilson and walked Jason Kendall. Randall Simon singled to right, moving Kendall to third, and Aramis Ramirez hit into a force out, scoring Kendall to cut the lead to 3-2 and tag Gagne with his first run in 16 1/3 innings.

“I wish I would have had a 0.00 ERA all year,� said Gagne, whose ERA jumped to 0.55. “But you know you’re going to give up some runs; it’s just a matter of time.�

Gagne struck out Stairs to preserve the victory and give Brown, who was slowed by a nasty upper-respiratory virus for much of April, wins in consecutive starts for the first time since Sept. 2 and 7, 2001.

Brown was most affected by his illness against San Francisco on April 13 and 18, when he gave up nine runs in 10 innings. In his other five starts, Brown is 3-0 with a 1.31 ERA and has given up 21 hits, struck out 27 and walked four in 34 1/3 innings.

“I was on that climb all through spring training until I got sick; then I took three steps, or more like 30 steps, backward,� Brown said. “Hopefully, I’m back heading in the right direction.�

Brown gave up a run on Kenny Lofton’s RBI single in the third but allowed only one base-runner the rest of the game, the Pirates often swinging early in the count and putting the ball in play.

The Dodgers tied it in the sixth when Dave Roberts reached on a two-out infield single and took second on Wilson’s throwing error, the Pittsburgh shortstop’s first error in 52 games. Paul Lo Duca singled to right to score Roberts.

With one out in the seventh, Brian Jordan doubled to right. Adrian Beltre grounded to short, Jordan taking third, and Pirate Manager Lloyd McClendon had Alex Cora intentionally walked to get to Izturis, the No. 8 batter.

But Izturis stroked a single to right, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead. Cora took third on the hit and scored on a daring dash to the plate on Jeff D’Amico’s wild pitch for a 3-1 lead.

Izturis’ hit was his 12th in his last 38 at-bats from the left side, raising the switch-hitter’s average against right-handers to .238, still not sparkling but better than his .195 mark in 2002.

“I don’t care what the numbers say; I’ve seen an improvement from the left side,� Tracy said. “He’s having better at-bats, showing better plate discipline, a more powerful swing. He’s keeping the ball on the ground and not chasing the ball in the dirt.... We’re enthralled with what he’s done defensively, but he’s come up with big hits lately.�