BROWN MAKES IT A SCARY VICTORY : DODGERS 3, MILWAUKEE 2.

Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer

Dodgers right-hander Kevin Brown charged Fernando Vina's bunt, fielded it and slipped while throwing it to first.

Almost before Vina reached first base, Dodgers manager Davey Johnson and trainer Charlie Strasser were at the mound.

``It scared the heck out of me,'' Johnson said. ``He twisted his back a little bit.''

Vina was out by a step, Brown faced two more batters and the Dodgers started a nine-game road trip with a 3-2 win against the Milwaukee Brewers at County Stadium on Tuesday.

Dodgers right fielder Raul Mondesi, upset about being moved from fourth to fifth in the lineup, was the catalyst offensively. He singled, stole a base and scored on a sacrifice fly in the second inning, then hit a two-run homer in the sixth.

Brown (2-1) pitched 6-2/3 innings for the win and Jeff Shaw pitched the ninth for his fifth save. Brewers left-hander Rafael Roque (0-2) gave up five hits in six innings and took the loss.

``I knew he was not going to throw me a fastball,'' said Mondesi, who hit a changeup. ``It was 3-2, he was going to throw something for a strike because he didn't want to put a couple guys on base.''

Afterward, Brown said he was fine, downplaying any type of injury. It's the same tack he took after tweaking his hip, being hit in the left foot by a grounder and being hit in the right foot by a grounder.

In other words, Johnson had better get used to it. It's the third straight time and fourth this season that a Brown start has included a visit by the medical staff. There seems to be no avoiding Brown's reckless mode of fielding.

Whether he's making a kick save to stop a grounder or hustling off the mound to field a bunt, Brown will do anything to make a play.

``Should I let guys bunt and get base hits?'' Brown said. ``I'm not going to change. You have to react. You don't have time to say, `Well, should I or (should I not) do this?' ''

It would be foolish to ask Brown to change. His value is in his pitching ability, and it's also in his competitive fire that forces him to play at full speed on each pitch.

On this occasion, it cost him a chance to pitch deeper into the game, but the price is meager.

After fielding Vina's bunt, he walked Marquis Grissom on four straight pitches to bring Johnson back to the mound.

``He lets you know how he's feeling,'' Dodgers catcher Todd Hundley said. ``They asked him if he wanted to come out and he said, `No, I'm fine. Leave me alone. Let's go.' ''

Brown pitched to one more batter, getting Jeff Cirillo to fly out before lefty Pedro Borbon came in to face left-handed batting Jeremy Burnitz. There was no chance Brown would remain in the game. In the first inning, it was Burnitz who put the Dodgers in a 2-0 hole with his sixth homer of the season. But in his next two at-bats Burnitz struck out and grounded out to second, and clearly, Brown wanted to face him again.

``I came back out and said, `Can you get me one more out?' and he said, `I'll get it,' '' Johnson said. ``It was awful cold on the field, and from the way he threw the ball, with the torque, you could tell he stretched something. If he wasn't so adamant, I would have taken him out before.''

There was nothing easy about Brown's fifth start with the Dodgers. He had one perfect inning, walked four and struck out seven.

In four of the last six innings, the Brewers' leadoff man reached base, and in each of those innings the leadoff runner got into scoring position with less than two outs.

``They didn't want me to stay out there and hurt myself, and I told them I'd be all right,'' Brown said. ``I wish I could have made it easier on myself and everyone else. The key was not giving in - and when guys were in scoring position, to find a way to battle out of it. I'm not looking to come out of any game unless you're hurt.''

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) Dodgers shortstop Mark Grudzielanek turns a double play as Milwaukee's Mark Loretta slides into second.

(2) The Dodgers' Kevin Brown walked four and struck out seven for his second victory of the season.

Morry Gash/Associated Press