Dodgers’ Weak Spot Is Exposed

Carlos Perez had said he only needed an opportunity to prove himself to the Dodgers and their fans.

He will need more now, but his window is closing.

The struggling pitcher was pounded in his regular-season debut Thursday night during an 11-3 loss to the Montreal Expos, making his shaky situation worse while further frustrating team officials.

The Dodgers weren’t impressed after watching Perez give up seven hits--including two three-run home runs--and eight runs (five earned) in 4 2/3 innings.

The Expos used a five-run second to break open the game against their former teammate before 9,121 at Olympic Stadium.

Light-hitting shortstop Orlando Cabrera, eighth in the order, hit the first three-run homer as the Expos batted around in taking a 5-0 lead.

Chris Widger’s three-run shot in the fifth extended Montreal’s lead to 8-1, finishing the left-hander’s work and probably moving him closer to returning to the minor leagues. The news was especially good for the Expos, proving how quickly things change.

The Expos defeated the Dodgers for the second time in as many days after being routed in the first two games of the four-game series.

Vladimir Guerrero continued to torment the Dodgers.

Facing Onan Masaoka with a runner on in the eighth, the all-star right fielder hit his third homer of the series. Guerrero drove in seven runs overall and was eight for 13 (.615).

Montreal starter Carl Pavano held the Dodgers to five hits and one run in eight innings. The Dodgers scored twice in the ninth but needed a much bigger rally after Perez’s effort.

The Dodgers had other problems in dropping the final two games of the series, but the Perez situation is their most ominous cloud at the moment.

Team officials continue to encourage Perez and say the right things publicly, but their dispirited expressions tell a different story.

“He made a couple of bad pitches and it cost him the game,” said General Manager Kevin Malone, who gave Perez a three-year, $15.6-million contract. “He had a good first inning, and he had a couple of good innings.

“He gave up three unearned runs, and that bad-hop ball [in the fifth] made it tougher. It obviously wasn’t what we wanted to see, but I don’t think it was a bad as the numbers indicated.”

Perez agreed, stressing he only had one bad inning.

“I still feel I’m throwing the ball good,” said Perez, 2-10 with a 7.43 earned-run average last season.

“I just had one bad inning, but I had a good fastball. I just got my pitches up, and you’re going to get hit when you get the ball up.”

Cabrera crushed a 2-2 fastball in the second into the left-field seats. Cabrera had 11 homers in 623 at-bats the last two seasons.

Third baseman Adrian Beltre’s fifth-inning error contributed to Perez’s problems. With one out and Guerrero on second, Jose Vidro hit a hard one-hopper that Beltre couldn’t handle, putting runners on the corners.

Perez struck out Lee Stevens and went to a 2-0 count against Widger, who homered to left on a fastball.

“He threw too many balls in the middle of the plate,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “When he made his pitches he got people out, but when you miss up, you’re going to get waffled.

“He hung tough after he gave up the five spot, but his off-speed stuff isn’t effective when he’s up. We all know it’s a tough situation.”

And it might soon get tougher.

Perez is owed $5 million this season and $7.5 million next. He will have five years major league service time after May 1, meaning the Dodgers can’t option Perez without his consent.

If Perez refused to return to triple-A Albuquerque, then releasing him, and paying the remainder of his contract, would be the most likely scenario.

“We’re not even thinking about that,” Malone said. “We’re just going one game at a time.”

And Perez’s time is running out.

*

GOOD SIGN

Injured Angel Ramon Ortiz pitched six solid innings during a rehabilitation assignment.

Page 10

ORIOLES ROLL

Charles Johnson hit his third homer in two days and lifted Baltimore past Cleveland, 6-2. Page 10

STRONG OUTING

Pirate pitcher Francisco Cordova kept Houston hitless for 7 1/3 innings in a 10-1 victory. Page 11