Brown back in peak form for Dodgers

By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer

Kevin Brown looks healthy, focused and dominant. Good luck scoring runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers this season.

Backed by some spectacular defense, Brown shut down Arizona and pitched the visiting Dodgers to a 5-0 victory Wednesday night.

``He looked like the Kevin Brown of old,'' Arizona manager Bob Brenly said. ``He just stifled our offense completely.''

The 38-year-old right-hander gave up just three hits in six-plus innings to lead Los Angeles to its second shutout in three games. Hideo Nomo threw a four-hitter to beat the Diamondbacks on opening day.

Odalis Perez, Kazuhisa Ishii and Darren Dreifort round out a deep rotation. With All-Star closer Eric Gagne coming out of the bullpen, hits could be hard to come by against the Dodgers and they know it.

``I think it goes without saying that when you can send a Kevin Brown out there on the third day of the season throwing the ball like that, I think it makes a pretty loud statement about what kind of starting pitching rotation you have,'' manager Jim Tracy said.

In other NL games, it was: the New York Mets 4, the Chicago Cubs 1; Montreal 3, Atlanta 0; Philadelphia 8, Florida 2; Pittsburgh 7, Cincinnati 4; Houston 8, Colorado 7; St. Louis 7, Milwaukee 0; and San Francisco 5, San Diego 3.

Shawn Green was 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and three RBIs as the Dodgers took two of three in the season-opening series between NL West squads.

Brian Jordan homered for the second time in three games.

Plagued by injuries the past two seasons, Brown (1-0) had a 1.03 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 26 1-3 innings this spring.

He followed that up with an efficient, 72-pitch outing against Arizona and said he feels better than he has in a long time.

``As far as not hurting and stuff, you'd probably have to go back 10 years. Now, whether that translates into wins, we'll have to wait and see,'' said Brown, who struck out four and walked one.

``It's been a long journey.''

He was helped by two big defensive plays in the fifth. Center fielder Dave Roberts made a diving catch of Mark Grace's drive, and catcher Paul Lo Duca threw out Steve Finley trying to steal second, with a difficult tag applied by shortstop Cesar Izturis.

``This team has the capabilities of being as good defensively as maybe many of the best Dodger defensive teams,'' Tracy said.

Elmer Dessens (0-1) lost in his Arizona debut.< ^Mets 4, Cubs 1=

At New York, Sammy Sosa just missed his 500th homer, and Al Leiter (1-0) threw six sharp innings as the Mets rebounded from an opening-day drubbing.

Cliff Floyd and Roger Cedeno homered, giving manager Art Howe his first victory in a New York uniform. All-Star catcher Mike Piazza began serving his four-game suspension for a spring training brawl.

Sosa's long drive to left in the sixth could have tied it for Chicago, but the wind helped keep the ball in play for a harmless out. Matt Clement (0-1) tied a Cubs record by throwing three wild pitches in one inning and was pulled after three innings because of tightness in his lower back.< ^Expos 3, Braves 0=

At Atlanta, Zach Day (1-0) and three relievers combined on a three-hitter, and Jose Vidro hit a two-run homer.

The vagabond Expos, who won't play in Montreal until April 22, outscored the Braves 13-2 in the first two games at Turner Field. Atlanta is 0-2 for the first time in six years.

Braves starter Horacio Ramirez was a hard-luck loser in his major league debut.< ^Phillies 8, Marlins 2=

At Miami, Randy Wolf (1-0) took a one-hitter into the seventh inning, Jim Thome had two hits and Mike Lieberthal added a bases-loaded triple for Philadelphia.

Phillies manager Larry Bowa was suspended for one game and fined for inciting the benches to clear during a spring training game against Toronto.< ^Pirates 7, Reds 4=

At Cincinnati, Kevin Young and Jason Kendall hit two-run homers off Josias Manzanillo (0-1) in the eighth inning as the Reds remained winless in their new ballpark.

Austin Kearns and Ken Griffey Jr. hit Cincinnati's first homers in Great American Ball Park as the home team finally took its first lead, 4-3.

Randall Simon added a three-run shot for Pittsburgh.< ^Cardinals 7, Brewers 0=

At St. Louis, Woody Williams (1-0) pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning and Mike Matheny had three hits and two RBIs.

Williams, limited to 17 starts last season by a pulled muscle in his left side, didn't allow a hit until Eric Young tripled to right with two outs in the sixth. Four relievers finished the five-hitter.< ^Astros 8, Rockies 7=

At Houston, Craig Biggio's two-run single capped the Astros' five-run rally in the ninth inning.

Jose Jimenez (0-1) entered with a 7-3 lead and gave up six hits while retiring just one batter. Richard Hidalgo hit a two-run single.< ^Giants 5, Padres 3=

At San Diego, Marquis Grissom's three-run double highlighted a five-run third inning as San Francisco completed a three-game sweep.

Barry Bonds went 0-for-4 and has just one hit a three-run homer in 10 at-bats this season.

Damian Moss overcame wildness to win his first start with the Giants. Tim Worrell fanned Sean Burroughs with runners at the corners for his second save.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)