Brown Not Worth Schilling in Dodger Loss to Phillies

PHILADELPHIA — The Dodgers made a surprising investment during the off-season, signing pitcher Kevin Brown to the biggest deal in baseball history.

His employers at Chavez Ravine believe Brown will help elevate the team among the game’s elite again, but his Dodger career has started slowly.

Brown endured his worst performance with the team in the Philadelphia Phillies’ 12-3 victory Sunday afternoon, ending the Dodgers’ winning streak at five games.

Brown experienced problems with his command on the windy day, getting chased after struggling through six innings. The Dodger staff ace was outdueled by his Philadelphia counterpart, Curt Schilling, pleasing a crowd of 34,608 at Veterans Stadium.

Struggling catcher Todd Hundley hit his third home run of the season, but his two-run, game-tying blast in the fourth inning was overshadowed by his batterymate’s problems. The Dodgers were thwarted in their attempt to win six in a row for the first time since 1997.

Rookie reliever Jeff Kubenka was pounded for five hits and charged with six runs (four earned) in only one-third of an inning in the eighth, forcing Dodger Manager Davey Johnson to go deeper into his bullpen in the blowout. The six runs matched the most the Phillies have scored in an inning this season.

The Dodgers (14-11) dropped to 5-1 on the nine-game trip that continues today in Montreal. They won twice in the three-game series against the Phillies, but left town disappointed Sunday.

“Brownie had good stuff, but the ball was moving all over the place with that wind in his face,” Johnson said. “It was just one of those days where the breaks didn’t go our way.”

Especially for Brown.

Brown dropped to 2-2 after giving up eight hits--including a leadoff homer to Doug Glanville--and six earned runs. Brown typically displays outstanding command, but he walked the bases loaded in the Phillies’ three-run sixth that gave them a 6-2 lead.

Brown acknowledged he wasn’t sharp, but his teammates could have played better behind him defensively.

“I didn’t throw a great game,” Brown said. “But I didn’t throw as bad as that looked either.”

Brown walked four overall and struck out six while throwing 113 pitches, including 71 for strikes. His earned-run average increased from 2.34 to 3.32, outstanding for most major league starters.

But the $105-million pitcher was not hired to be most starters. Brown has given up six homers in 40 2/3 innings after giving up only eight in 257 innings last season while leading the San Diego Padres to the World Series.

Brown had four quality starts in his first five this season, but the Dodgers are only 3-3 when he pitches. Some tried to defend Brown on Sunday, saying the swirling wind was the problem.

Brown wasn’t among those buying that reasoning.

“Obviously, I didn’t do a very good job of adjusting to it,” Brown said, alluding to the wind. “That’s not the reason we didn’t win.

“I just didn’t get the balls where I wanted to. It was just one of those days where nothing seems to go right, and there’s really nothing you can do about it.”

Schilling (4-1) got the breaks. He worked 7 1/3 innings, giving up six hits--Hundley’s homer among them--and three runs.

Schilling struck out eight and walked four. He continued to excel in his role as the Phillies’ workhorse, throwing 82 strikes in an exhausting 134-pitch effort.

And Schilling was more overpowering than Brown in the matchup of all-star right-handers, relying on his fastball to work out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth without giving up a run. Schilling did the job of a No. 1 starter by preserving a 3-2 lead, and the Phillies rewarded him by taking command with three runs in their half of the inning against Brown.

“For him to get out of that trap without giving up a run, you have to tip your cap to him,” Johnson said. “That’s kind of deflating when you’re down by one run like that and you can’t get any [runs].”

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* DODGER PROBE

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