Los Angeles ? Kevin Brown pitched seven strong innings to win his seventh straight decision as Los Angeles beat Kansas City, 5-2, Thursday night.

Brown (8-1) allowed five hits and two runs before being lifted for a pinch-hitter immediately after Cesar Izturis singled to drive in Adrian Beltre in the seventh, snapping a 2-2 tie.

Fred McGriff hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth off reliever Rick DeHart to give the Dodgers some breathing room. It was McGriff’s 10th homer of the season and the 488th of his career.

Brown, who walked one and struck out five, has seven wins and two no-decisions in his last nine starts. He has given up 10 runs in 65 innings during that time while walking 10 and striking out 59.

Eric Gagne worked the ninth, striking out two, for his 20th save and 28th straight dating back to last season.

The win was just the third in nine games for the Dodgers while the Royals lost for the 16th time in 21 games.

Beltre doubled with two outs in the seventh before Izturis lined a 2-0 pitch from Darrell May (0-2) to break the tie.

Blanked on three hits through five innings, the Royals took a 2-1 lead in the sixth on an RBI double by Mike Sweeney and a two-out wild pitch by Brown, enabling Sweeney to score.

May had retired 14 of 15 batters before Dave Roberts opened the sixth with his second double. Paul Lo Duca sacrificed and Green followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-2.

¢ 6Sports video: Dodgers overcome the Royals

May allowed six hits and four runs in 71/3 innings. He walked one and struck out one.

Brown pitched out of a first-and-third, one-out jam in the first, striking out Raul Ibanez and inducing Carlos Beltran to ground into a force play.

Brown retired the next 10 Kansas City batters before Angel Berroa singled with one out in the fifth. Mike DiFelice followed with a single and May sacrificed before Desi Relaford hit a soft liner to first.