DODGERS NOTEBOOK: BROWN FINALLY MIGHT GET TURN.

Byline: Steve Dilbeck Staff Writer

And in today's daily update on ``As Kevin Brown's Achilles Turns,'' we find the Dodgers' ace right-hander will definitely, maybe start on ... Sunday?

``I think there's a good chance that by (today) we'll know definitely, exactly what our plans will be,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said.

Got it?

Brown is eligible to come off the disabled list with his strained right Achilles' tendon Sunday. The hard-nosed Brown said he could have taken his turn on opening day, but knowing how aggressive he is, the Dodgers have hesitated to push him.

``I think it played into it from day one,'' Tracy said. ``We know who he is and what he's all about. We want peace of mind that when we send him out there. We know what kind of effort he's going to give. We wanted to rule out any possibility of him being at risk and injuring himself, because Kevin doesn't know how to give less than a full effort at anything he does.''

Tracy said Brown ran hard before Friday's game, but had more tests to pass today before getting the official OK to pitch Sunday.

``We'd like to see him take a couple of swings and come out of the box and run the bases, do a little baserunning,'' Tracy said. ``But the Achilles definitely passed the test today.''

--Gagne on hold: If Brown doesn't get the official OK today, then right- hander Eric Gagne will start Sunday.

Gagne, who beat out Ramon Martinez for the fifth spot in the rotation during the spring, allowed one run in five innings on Tuesday against the Diamondbacks.

Gagne said it doesn't matter to him which day he starts.

``I'm just going out there whenever they tell me I'm going to pitch,'' Gagne said. ``My arm feels good. It doesn't really matter when I'm pitching.''

Odds and ends: The Dodgers said the back-to-back home runs by Tom Goodwin and Mark Grudzielanek to open Thursday's game marked the first time in franchise

history the Dodgers began a game with consecutive home runs. ... Eric Karros was given a proclamation Friday morning by Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan. Karros is the Los Angeles Dodgers' all-time leader in home runs, and his homer later that night moved ahead of Roy Campanella for third on the overall team list with 229.

DODGERS vs. SAN FRANCISCO

Time: 7:10 p.m., at Dodger Stadium

TV/Radio: Ch. 5; 1150-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish)

Matchup: Right-hander Chan Ho Park, who made like a staff ace in subbing for Kevin Brown in the season opener, gets his second start of the season tonight. Park threw seven shutout innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday and has now thrown 32 consecutive scoreless innings over his past four outings, dating back Sept. 19, 2000. He started only once against the Giants last year, that the Kevin Elster three-home run game to open Pac Bell Park. He'll be opposed by right-hander Livan Hernandez (1-0), who won his only start against L.A. last season (one run in eight innings).

- Steve Dilbeck

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DODGERS vs. SAN FRANCISCO (see text)