Montreal Pitcher Perez Arrested, Jailed on Rape Charge in Atlanta

Pitcher Carlos Perez of the Montreal Expos was arrested Saturday and charged with raping a 20-year-old woman.

Perez, 24, was being held at the Atlanta City Jail on Saturday night as his team played the Braves. He was arrested at the team hotel on Saturday morning.

Benjamin Sims, a spokesman for the police department, said Perez met the woman on a blind date at a bar Friday night after the Expos lost, 5-1, to the Braves. Perez was the losing pitcher.

“Allegedly, she was forced into a taxi and they went to the hotel and up to his room, where [the rape] allegedly took place,” Sims said.

Perez will probably be arraigned Monday.

Perez, a native of Nigua, Dominican Republic, was an early contender for the rookie-of-the-year award but has stumbled to a 10-8 record by going 0-5 with three no-decisions since Aug. 6.

He is the youngest brother of Pascual Perez, who pitched with the Expos, the New York Yankees and the Braves. Another brother, Melido, currently pitches for the Yankees.