[0] DODGERS STATUS QUO NOT SO BAD L.A. WINS BEHIND BROWN, SHEFFIELD DODGERS 1, FLORIDA 0.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

First it was Gary Sheffield. Then it was Kevin Malone. Once the off- field drama subsided, the Dodgers on-field troubles started.

The Dodgers injury report was and still is nearly as lengthy as Malone's laundry list of blunders. The offense often is potent and at other times is anemic.

Say what you will about the Dodgers, who still are in first place in the NL West. The constant among constant chaos is Kevin Brown. And Gary Sheffield.

Brown was brilliant as he struck out a season-high 10 batters, making Sheffield's solo homer in the sixth inning stand in the Dodgers' 1-0 victory over the Florida Marlins on Monday in front of 20,807 fans at Dodger Stadium.

``I'm sure that people ask the question, `How are they up there?','' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``We're very proud of that fact. We've weathered a lot of storms.''

And rode the steady pitching of Brown (5-1), who threw a two-hitter in eight innings, holding the Marlins hitless through five innings. Luis Castillo broke up the no-hit bid in the sixth with a two-out infield single. Castillo's shot bounced above a leaping Brown but a charging Mark Grudzielanek scooped it up on the run and fired to first.

Castillo was ruled safe but it was close. The Dodgers started running off the field - as it would have been the third out. Tom Goodwin made sure Brown's gem stayed intact by following the hit with a diving catch of an Eric Owens shot to center field.

Brown's 10 strikeouts were the most since he recorded 13 against San Diego on Sept. 23 last season. He had a scare after he was hit by a Cliff Floyd line drive in the fourth inning. The ball hit Brown on his left leg before he picked it up and made the made the out at first base. Play stopped so Brown, bent over in pain, could be attended to but he was fine and continued to pitch after a few minutes.

``If there's a better competitor in baseball, I'd like to know who it is,'' Tracy said.

Sheffield, who played with the Marlins from 1993-98 and holds many of their career records, hit a solo home run to left field in the sixth to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.

Brown faced 27 batters - only four over the minimum - in his eight innings and struck out at least 10 in a game for the 22nd time in his career. He threw 113 pitches, 76 for strikes.

A.J. Burnett made his first start of the season for the Marlins and showed few signs of rust. Burnett, who was out with was a broken right foot, struck out seven, walked five and scattered three hits in six innings. Even though he had control problems at times, his defense turned a double play for him and ex-Dodger Charles Johnson threw out Goodwin trying to steal in the fifth inning.

Burnett's only real blemish was Sheffield's home run on a 1-0 count in the sixth.

Sheffield is Florida's career leader in home runs (122), runs scored (365), walks (424), on-base percentage (.426) and slugging percentage (.543). He was traded to the Dodgers in 1998 in a seven-player deal with the Marlins.

The Dodgers had chances to give Brown more breathing room but couldn't do it. Burnett allowed a bases-loaded situation in the third by walking Sheffield and Shawn Green, both on four pitches. But Eric Karros was caught looking to end the inning.

Brown gave the Dodgers a lift - and saved the bullpen - after being swept by the Chicago Cubs. Jeff Shaw retired the side in the ninth to earn the save.