Mission Gets Help and Wins, 7-3

Two Cuban defectors officially joined the Mission College roster Tuesday and the impact was immediate. Mission (5-2) defeated Pasadena City, 7-3, in a nonconference game at Pasadena and one of the new players hit two home runs.

First baseman Luis Alvarez was three for five with two homers in his Mission debut. Left-handed pitcher Osvaldo Fernandez will make his first start today at 2 p.m. at Harbor in a Harbor-El Camino tournament game.

The pair, who played on various Cuban national teams, contacted Mission Coach John Klitsner and enrolled this semester, he said.

“These guys are exceptional,” Klitsner said. “They are just way better than the typical junior college ballplayer.”

Both players live in Sylmar. Alvarez is a 6-4, 220-pounder who bats left-handed. Fernandez is 6 feet, 190.

Alvarez is 24 and Fernandez is 23, Klitsner said. They decided to compete this season in preparation for the June amateur draft.

Mission left fielder Dereck Ornelas, a sophomore from Sylmar High, was three for four with a homer and drove in two runs.

Right-hander Ray Rivera (3-0), a freshman from San Fernando High, allowed two earned runs and three hits over six innings.