Lowe Plays Some Nine Ball

VERO BEACH, Fla. — Derek Lowe picked up where he left off after a hot second half last season, retiring the nine batters he faced on 29 pitches in the Dodgers’ 16-2 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday.

Lowe struck out four and was helped by outstanding plays by first baseman Nomar Garciaparra, shortstop Oscar Robles and third baseman Bill Mueller.

“I try to pitch every game as if it’s a midsummer game,” Lowe said. “That’s the only way I can get anything out of it.”

Lowe, who will be the opening-day starter, tied for the National League lead with 35 starts last season, the first Dodger to lead in that category since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981. He finished especially well, posting a 2.13 earned-run average in six September starts.

The strong finish has spilled into a strong beginning this spring.

“I always want to start on a high note,” he said. “I don’t want to go to the bullpen in a couple of days and have to figure out what’s wrong. I want to think about my pitches, not my mechanics.”

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Left-hander Odalis Perez was nearly as sharp as Lowe, giving up a bunt single and a walk in three scoreless innings. He threw 43 pitches.

Perez will join the Dominican Republic team for the World Baseball Classic today and is scheduled to start against Italy on Thursday. The fact that he has only three days of rest rankled him.

“I was mad, but at the same time this is the team I belong to,” he said. “The Dodgers come first.”

Manager Grady Little doesn’t think the abbreviated rest should be a problem.

“We feel good about him being ready,” he said. “He throws a lot of off-speed pitches, so as far as taxing his arm goes, it isn’t like he’s out there powering fastballs.”

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The Mets did not bring any established major league players to Dodgertown because they played a split-squad game against the Puerto Rican WBC team at Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Robles, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Andy LaRoche homered for the Dodgers, who scored 11 runs in the sixth inning.

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The Dodgers will bring up 12 players from their minor league camp so there are enough players for split-squad games against the St. Louis Cardinals at Jupiter, Fla., and at Vero Beach against the Washington Nationals.

“With the World Baseball Classic and our injury situation, those numbers are shallow at this point in time,” Little said.

Joel Guzman will play left field for the first time when he starts Tuesday against the Cardinals.