He’s Almost Perfect for Dodger Job

PITTSBURGH —  Wilson Alvarez had already wasted too much time awaiting an opening, and one bad performance could have cost him the role.

So Alvarez delivered a show-stopping performance Friday night to secure his place in the Dodger rotation, pitching seven impressive innings and combining with reliever Guillermo Mota on a one-hitter in a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

The veteran left-hander made a strong statement in his first start of the season. The Pirates had only one baserunner -- Chris Stynes, who led off the sixth inning with an infield single. Second baseman Jose Hernandez -- who hit two home runs -- dived for the ball but couldn’t come up with it on the grass just behind the infield.

“I know Stynes always hits the ball to [that] side,” said Hernandez, who connected for his second and third homers and continued to excel off the bench. “At the time, I was playing like right there where he hit it.

“But [bench coach Jim Riggleman] told me to go a little bit more to the bag, so I did go a couple of steps to the bag, and Stynes hit it to the other side. At the time, I wasn’t thinking about a no-hitter going, but I tried to make the play.

“It was far away and the ball hit my glove. If I caught it, I probably had a chance to throw him out, but I missed it. But Wilson, coming out of the bullpen to do the job he did, it was pretty awesome.”

Said catcher David Ross: “It’s part of the game. He dove for it and gave it his best effort.”

Unfazed, Alvarez (1-0) retired the next six batters he faced before needing a break and turning to Mota.

“I was running out of gas the last inning,” said Alvarez, who in 1991 with the Chicago White Sox tossed a no-hitter at 21 during his second game in the major leagues. “Anybody could tell I was getting a little tired at the end.”

Mota completed the Dodgers’ 33rd one-hitter and fourth combined, setting down the Pirates in order in the eighth and ninth. The Dodgers continued their successful trip, taking the opener of the three-game series as Alvarez dazzled and apparently left the bullpen behind.

“You can’t pitch any better than Wilson Alvarez did for the seven innings he was out there,” said Manager Jim Tracy, whose team improved to 3-1 on the trip and 18-10 overall. “To command the rectangle of the strike zone like that, and carry out a game plan against a group of opposing hitters, you can’t do it any better than he did it.”

Alvarez’s teammates were equally impressed.

“He hasn’t started the whole season, so we were expecting probably five good innings from him,” third baseman Adrian Beltre said. “Then he comes out with seven great innings.... Man, that’s good to see.”

Alvarez worked with eye-opening efficiency, throwing 57 strikes in 85 pitches and exhibiting outstanding command of his repertoire. He had five strikeouts and the game was over in 2 hours 8 minutes.

Pirate starter Oliver Perez (2-1) couldn’t keep pace in an eight-inning outing.

“All my pitches ... I was locating the ball good,” Alvarez said. “Everything ... changeups, fastballs, curveballs, in and out.

“That’s the key for me. If I locate my pitches I can get people out. That was the big key tonight -- all location.”

Class was in session, Ross said.

“He gave you a lesson in pitching tonight,” Alvarez’s batterymate said. “He’s been around a long time, and that’s a prime example.”

After joining the rotation last season, Alvarez won six consecutive decisions, in 10 starts, with a 1.39 earned-run average during that span. He had a scoreless streak of 25 innings, so the Dodgers weren’t shocked by Friday’s performance.

“That’s how he pitched the last couple of months of last season, so it really wasn’t too out of the ordinary,” first baseman Shawn Green said. “He did a great job tonight and he did a great job last year. He’s going to add a lot to the rotation.”

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Arm in Arm

Chris Stynes’ single off the glove of Jose Hernandez in the sixth inning was the only baserunner allowed by Dodger pitchers Wilson Alvarez and Guillermo Mota (who pitched the eighth and ninth).

LAST ONE-HITTER

June 25, 2002 -- Odalis Perez

at Dodgers 4, Colorado 2

* It was the 33rd one-hitter in Dodger history (and fifth by two pitchers).

LAST NO-HITTER

Sept. 17, 1996 -- Hideo Nomo

Dodgers 9, at Colorado 0

* There have been 10 no-hitters thrown by Dodgers, four by Sandy Koufax.

LAST PERFECT GAME

Sept. 9, 1965 -- Sandy Koufax

at Dodgers 1, Chicago 0

* Franchise’s only perfect game and one of 14 thrown in the modern era.