BROWN WILL SEE DOCTOR AGAIN PITCHER REINJURES RIGHT ELBOW, LEAVES GAME IN THE FIRST INNING ARIZONA 10, DODGERS 9.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

PHOENIX - The Dodgers rallied from a four-run deficit against Randy Johnson, watched their bullpen blow a three-run lead, rallied again in the ninth for two runs to force extra innings only to lose 10-9 to Arizona on David Dellucci's one-out RBI double in the 10th inning at Bank One Ballpark.

Afterward, such an emotional game was secondary.

Instead, the main concern was the extent of another injury to the surgically repaired right elbow of pitcher Kevin Brown. He left after throwing just 20 pitches and two outs and was diagnosed with posterior elbow pain, basically a pinching sensation in the back of his right elbow.

Trainer Stan Johnston said he didn't think it was as serious as the breaking away of scar tissue in Brown's elbow during an April 13 start. That sent Brown to the disabled list for two weeks.

Johnston said there was no swelling in the injured region, but Brown will be re-examined today by team physician Dr. Frank Jobe. An MRI was not scheduled but is possible.

``It was a pinching sensation in the back of his elbow,'' Johnston said. ``It just increased with intensity as he was throwing, so we took him out, and he will be evaluated by Dr. Jobe.''

Brown alerted Dodgers personnel of the discomfort in the elbow while he was warming up before the game, but he was insistent on making the start.

Was there a thought of scratching Brown?

``When he came in right after he warmed up, he played it off that it was something that wasn't bothering him really bad,'' Johnston said. ``But I knew we needed to keep an eye on him.''

Johnston said he didn't believe the injury was related to the surgery Brown underwent Sept. 27 to repair the flexor muscle in his right elbow.

Brown, on the disabled list four times since the start of the 2001 season, allowed three hits and walked one in the first inning. He appeared to have some discomfort while facing Steve Finley, who singled in two runs. Brown then left after throwing ball 1 to Damian Miller, Arizona's seventh batter.

``When I heard the word it was grabbing back there and things like that, that's it,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``With what took place last year and over the course of the winter, it's not a situation to try it. It's not a situation to throw a couple and see how you feel. That's it.''

Brown, who was unavailable for comment, tried to talk the Dodgers into allowing him to remain in the game, but catcher Paul Lo Duca refused to give the staff ace the ball.

``I went out there, and he just didn't look right,'' Lo Duca said. ``I went out there and told me to give him the ball, and I said, `I'm not going to give you the ball.' He asked for it again and I said no. I had one guy last year with (Darren Dreifort), and I don't want another incident. I said, `We need you for the long haul.' We need him, and I didn't want him to blow out right there.''

The day was salvageable despite Brown allowing four runs in the first inning against Johnson, mainly because center fielder Marquis Grissom pulled a Shawn Green.

Grissom was 1 for 25 with 15 strikeouts against Johnson, but he hit two homers and drove in three runs off Johnson in the first four innings as the Dodgers went ahead 5-4.

Brian Jordan added a two-run single in the fifth to give the Dodgers a 7-4 lead and knock Johnson out after five innings. He allowed seven runs on eight hits in his worst outing since he allowed nine runs April 8, 2001, against St. Louis.

However, the Dodgers' setup men couldn't cover for Brown's early departure. Paul Quantrill allowed four runs in the seventh inning as Arizona went ahead 8-6. Giovanni Carrara allowed a run in the eighth.

``I lost that game for us,'' said Quantrill, who hadn't allowed a run in his past 11 appearances. ``The team battles back, and I didn't get the job done. That's a game where I have to come in and shut it down. We had the game in the seventh, and if I do my job like I'm capable of doing it, we don't lose that game.''

DODGERS vs. MILWAUKEE

Time: 1:10 p.m., Dodger Stadium.

TV/Radio: Ch. 13; 1150-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish).

Matchup: Let's see whether Milwaukee has figured out how to pitch to Dodgers RF Shawn Green, who blistered Brewers pitchers for six homers and 10 RBI last week. RH Hideo Nomo (4-5, 3.60 ERA) starts for the Dodgers in the Memorial Day matinee. Nomo pitched six shutout innings in beating his counterpart RH Ben Sheets (3-4, 3.66) last week. Sheets is 0-2 in his last two starts but has yielded just two runs on nine hits in 15 2/3 innings. Tuesday - Dodgers LH Kazuhisa Ishii (7-1, 2.77) vs. Brewers LH Glendon Rusch (3-4, 4.78); Wednesday - Dodgers LH Odalis Perez (4-3, 2.51) vs. Brewers RH Jamey Wright (1-1, 3.48).

- Brian Dohn

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Dodgers trainer Stan Johnson, left, meets with pitcher Kevin Brown and catcher Paul Lo Duca in the first inning of Sunday's game.

Paul Connors/Associated Press

Box:

DODGERS vs. MILWAUKEE (see text)