[0] DODGERS WIN ON KIDS' NIGHT : DODGERS 5 ANGELS 4.

Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer

It was the matchup everyone came to see: Mo Vaughn vs. Kevin Brown, the Fortune 500 free agents of the Freeway Series. In a rocky season for the Dodgers and Angels, there was finally a little drama.

But just as Vaughn was coming up with two outs and the game on the line in the seventh inning Friday night, Brown was walking off.

Brown, who labored in his last two starts, gave way to left-hander Pedro Borbon, who retired Vaughn on a weak fly ball to center to end the inning and the Dodgers were headed to a 5-4 victory. The crowd of 49,213 at Dodger Stadium didn't leave, but they may have in spirit.

``Surprised? Yeah, he was throwing the ball well,'' Vaughn said of Brown.

``Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor,'' Brown said. ``That's (manager) Davey's (Johnson) job and I respect that. If you ask me, I'm going to stay in there. But this is about getting a win for the team. The win is bigger than any of us.''

The win also provided cheers for a few unfamiliar faces, the kind of guys who used to play in the old preseason Freeway Series before heading off to the minor leagues.

Chance Sanford, a Triple-A second baseman called up before the game to replace injured Todd Hollandsworth on the roster, singled home two runs in the Dodgers' five-run fourth inning against Angels starter Omar Olivares (6-4).

Earlier in the inning, Dodgers catcher Angel Pena drove in his first major-league run. And veteran shortstop Jose Vizcaino came off the DL before the game and capped the scoring with a two-run homer.

``It was exciting to see Chance Sanford get that hit and then see (Vizcaino) come back and hit that homer,'' Johnson said.

Borbon's contribution should not be overlooked. After retiring Vaughn, who had a single in three at-bats against Brown, Borbon came out for the eighth and struck out left-handed hitting Garret Anderson.

Borbon, who allowed a run Wednesday to Pittsburgh after eight consecutive scoreless appearances, has been a bright spot in the Dodgers bullpen. Friday night, the reliever did what the Dodgers have been hoping for all season.

Alan Mills replaced Borbon and got the final two outs of the eighth before turning the game over to closer Jeff Shaw, who allowed the tying run to reach third in the ninth, but struck out Darin Erstad to end the game and earn his 13th save.

For the Dodgers, the victory snapped a three-game losing streak and put them a game over .500 (27-26).

For the Angels, last in the American League West with a 26-28 record, the game was more than a loss in the standings. Olivares, who leads the club in victories, left in the sixth inning after straining his left hamstring running out a ground ball.

The Dodgers didn't expect to be fooled by the crafty Olivares, but they also didn't expect to be trailing 3-1 in the fourth with Brown on the mound.

Brown (6-3) was finished after 97 pitches, allowing nine hits and four runs (three earned). He struck out four and did not walk a batter.

``In games where he struggles you have to keep an eye on him,'' new pitching coach Claude Osteen said. ``If you leave it to him, he'll stay in, but that is not always the best thing.''

Eric Karros opened the fourth with a single to center and took second on a single by Devon White. After a fielder's choice by Adrian Beltre, Pena singled up the middle to score Karros with the Dodgers' first run.

Pena, who added a double in the eighth inning off the Angels third pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa, entered the game batting just .133. But with Todd Hundley sidelined for the series and probably longer with a sprained left wrist, Pena will get plenty of playing time in the next week.

Pena was the Dodgers organizational player of the year in 1998, but had grown bored playing this season at Triple-A Albuquerque.

His minor-league teammate, Sanford, did not have Pena's pedigree, but he was caBlled up when Mark Grudzielanek went on the DL Friday with a fractured right wrist. He started at second base in place of Eric Young and led off.

Sanford, signed last winter after his release by Pittsburgh, struck out in his first at-bat as a Dodger. That's not what he'll remember.

``When I got to first my head was racing,'' said Sanford, icing a right shoulder that was repaired last summer by surgery. ``I just stuck out my bat and made contact. I know I won't sleep tonight.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--Color) Omar Olivares looks away as Jose Vizcaino rounds the bases after his two-run homer.

(2) Angels' Randy Velarde takes the throw and tags out Dodgers' Raul Mondesi attempting to steal second in Friday's interleague meeting.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Box: I-5 SERIES III