DODGERS INSIDE LOOK: PEREZ RECOVERS NICELY.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

PHOENIX - Pitching line on Odalis Perez: Shaky start, strong finish, as he kept the Dodgers in Tuesday night's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Perez, the Dodgers' All-Star left-hander, was not around at the end of the 5-4 loss in 10 innings at Bank One Ballpark, but he impressed manager Jim Tracy with his resilience, retiring 14 of the last 15 batters he faced after allowing four runs in the first three innings.

``I can't say enough about the resolve he showed after falling behind,'' Tracy said. ``He showed a lot of maturity. Last year was great for him and there is no reason he can't keep that up.''

The Dodgers are keeping a close watch on Perez, who tired late last season but was the club's first left-hander since Fernando Valenzuela (1986) to win 15 games.

Perez, acquired from Atlanta with Brian Jordan before last season for Gary Sheffield, led the Dodgers with 222 innings after never throwing more than 95 with the Braves.

He took two perfect games into the seventh inning and was the first Dodger since Orel Hershiser (1985) to pitch two one-hitters in one season.

But because of arm fatigue, Perez, 25, was asked by the club to not pitch winter ball in his native Dominican Republic until at least Christmas. He missed all of 2000 after undergoing ``Tommy John'' elbow reconstruction.

``I gave it plenty of rest and felt good when I started to pitch again,'' Perez said. ``It was all part of getting ready for the season.''

But just weeks before spring training, Perez found himself pitching in the Caribbean World Series. He threw five innings against Puerto Rico after enduring four rain delays. He then was asked to pitch Game 7 on three days rest, but the Dodgers stepped in.

``We understood his desire to pitch for his country,'' Dodgers general manager Dan Evans said. ``But we were looking at his career. He was just a few years removed from the `Tommy John' and had thrown more than 200 innings last season.''

Perez came to camp at 222 pounds, down from past years, and had a solid spring. He allowed nine runs in 20 2/3 innings. Perez gave up seven home runs, but four came during a game against the New York Mets in the thin air of Mexico City. He still won the game.

``That was like playing a Little League game,'' catcher Paul Lo Duca said. ``The guy was an All-Star last year and he showed it all spring.

Perez laughed at the memory.

``I wasn't bad in spring, I wasn't good,'' he said.

Tuesday night, Perez was facing 23-game winner Curt Schilling, who defeated him twice last season. Perez's fastball was consistently clocked at 88-89 mph, less than last year's 91-92. He threw 88 pitches, 62 for strikes.