Rocky Start Helps Perez

Despite statistical proof to the contrary, Odalis Perez did not believe that Coors Field qualified as a pitcher’s nightmare.

So before Perez took the mound here for the first time Monday night against the Colorado Rockies, he shut out all the talk about the spacious dimensions and light air.

Then the 23-year-old Dodger left-hander shut down the Rockies with a masterful five-hitter that gave the Dodgers a 5-2 victory before 29,763.

It was the first career complete game for Perez, who was acquired in the January trade that sent outfielder Gary Sheffield to the Atlanta Braves.

“I can’t believe how composed he is for 23 years of age,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said. “He is not fazed by much of anything.”

Perez (1-1), who also pitched well in his first two starts against the San Francisco Giants, was handed a 5-0 first-inning lead on a run-scoring single by Shawn Green, a three-run home run by Eric Karros and a solo homer by Adrian Beltre.

That was more than enough for Perez, who gave up a solo homer to Todd Helton in the second inning and a run-scoring double to Benny Agbayani in the sixth.

Perez struck out five and walked one in a 128-pitch performance that produced only the third complete game by a Dodger pitcher at Coors Field.

Hideo Nomo threw a 9-0 no-hitter on Sept. 17, 1996, and Dave Mlicki beat the Rockies, 5-0, June 18, 1996.

It also was only the 20th complete game by an opposing pitcher at a stadium that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this season.

“I was throwing pitches down and in and down and away,” said Perez, who lowered his earned-run average to 2.61 and lowered the staff ERA to 3.39. “I was throwing my change-up and curveball and everything was working together.

“I felt fine. I was on top of the count, and when I was down I was able to come back and throw strikes and make them hit the ball.”

Karros hits the ball better at Coors Field than perhaps any other visiting player. He went into the game with a .362 average, 12 doubles, 18 homers and 50 runs batted in 163 at-bats.

He got his first opportunity Monday against Shawn Chacon (1-2) after Paul Lo Duca reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a throwing error by shortstop Juan Uribe when Dave Roberts slid hard into second base breaking up a double play.

Green’s single to right scored Lo Duca and Brian Jordan followed with another single before Karros stepped in and hit a 3-and-2 pitch beyond the left-field fence for his 19th career homer in the stadium, the most by any visiting player.

Beltre then hit a 3-and-0 pitch over the left-field fence for his first home run of the season and a 5-0 lead that was too much for the Rockies, who are 0-8 against National League West opponents.

“I get to play a lot of games here,” said Karros, who also had a single and raised his season average to .302. “Obviously, this is an offensive ballpark. You play enough here, I’m sure you’re going to put up some numbers.”

Karros noted that Perez could easily be 3-0 if he had been provided with run support in his first two starts.

Perez gave up three runs in 52/3 innings against the Giants in a 3-0 defeat at Dodger Stadium on April 4. He gave up one run in six innings but did not figure in the decision in a 2-1 Dodger loss at Pacific Bell Park on April 10. Perez’s performance Monday spared Tracy from using a bullpen that could be taxed with Omar Daal moving into the rotation to replace Kevin Brown for at least one start.

After Agbayani’s two-out double in the sixth, Perez retired the last 10 batters in a row. In the eighth, he struck out Uribe and Larry Walker and got Helton to hit a fly ball to center field. Tracy had closer Eric Gagne warming up in the ninth in case Perez stumbled. But Todd Zeile popped out to third base, Agbayani hit a fly ball to right and Perez struck out pinch-hitter Mark Little for the final out.

“That was nothing short of a tremendous performance,” Tracy said.