Considering how Kevin Brown started yesterday, the fact that he ended with a no-decision, only allowing two runs in seven innings yesterday is pretty amazing.

Brown began by basically handing the Red Sox runs in the first and second. In the first, he walked the first two batters he faced, which ultimately led to Manny Ramirez’ sacrifice fly to center.

In the second, the run Brown gave up was unearned, because of his own mistakes. Brown made two errors in the inning, which led to the Boston run.

Still, Brown fought through it all and kept the Yankees in the game, but they lost again to the Red Sox, 3-2, in 12 innings at the Stadium.

Brown clearly didn’t have his control, but he lowered his ERA from 2.33 to 2.12.

To start the second inning, Brown gave Kevin Millar second base. Millar hit a come-backer that Brown knocked down before gathering it and firing the ball high over first baseman Travis Lee. Next, on Mark Bellhorn’s grounder to first, Brown mishandled the pitch from Lee. To make matters worse, next Brown grazed Gabe Kapler’s right leg.

The bases were loaded and the Red Sox hadn’t even hit a ball out of the infield. After a Pokey Reese sacrifice fly, Brown fought back, forcing Johnny Damon to fly out to left and Bill Mueller to ground out to first.

From there, Brown didn’t allow a run. He extinguished one more Red Sox scoring opportunity after Bill Mueller doubled to start the fifth. Mueller advanced to third, but Brown allowed him to go no further.

Although Brown made the Yankees sweat it out, they can’t complain at all about what they have received in Brown’s initial five starts. He has won all of his non-Red Sox starts to move his record to 3-0. Against Boston, Brown owns two no-decisions.

In his prior outing against Boston, Brown finished with a no-decision, but pitched OK. He threw six innings of four-run (all earned) ball.