Arnold Has a Big Night

Pitcher Jamie Arnold bounced around the Atlanta Braves’ organization for six years, failing to make a strong impression.

The right-hander has already made a big impact during his brief stint with the Dodgers. Arnold bailed the team out of a jam in an 8-2 victory over the Montreal Expos on Wednesday night.

An emergency starter, Arnold (1-0) pitched 6 2/3 innings in his first major league start, striking out two and walking one. The converted reliever, recalled from triple-A Albuquerque on April 20, had a no-hitter through five innings and gave up only a sixth-inning leadoff single to Orlando Cabrera.

Not bad for a guy who was out of work in January, and who was starting only because left-hander Carlos Perez suffered a mysterious knee injury that prevented him from pitching.

It was storybook night for the 26-year-old Arnold. And it wasn’t bad for the Dodgers either.

“It was a good night,” said General Manager Kevin Malone, who signed Arnold. “It could have been a very negative situation tonight. But as disappointed as I am about that situation [Perez], on the other hand, I am exuberant about Jamie Arnold.”

Manager Davey Johnson was too.

“How ‘bout them apples!” said Johnson, his face creased by a wide grin. “I’ve been impressed with him out of the bullpen and spring training, and I was hoping to get maybe four, maybe five, innings out of him. He goes and pitches 6 2/3 and he was just breezing.

“He threw only 60 pitches [38 strikes] in 6 2/3 innings. I went up to my other starters and said, ‘Fellas, you see how easy that is? I hope you were paying attention.’ ”

Arnold was excited too.

“I called my family [in Kissimmee, Fla.] before the game to let them know, and to tell them to go someplace to see it if they could,” said Arnold, who made eight starts in the minors last season. “This is something I’ve always dreamed about doing. It’s a dream come true.”

Johnson removed Arnold after he had struck out the first two batters of the seventh because he was on a 60-pitch limit. Arnold pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief in a 12-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, and Johnson didn’t want to risk injuring him.