Mission Gets Help and Wins, 7-3

Two Cuban defectors officially joined the Mission College roster Tuesday and the impact was immediate. Mission (5-2) defeated Pasadena City, 7-3, in a nonconference game at Pasadena and one of the new players hit two home runs.

First baseman Luis Alvarez was three for five with two homers in his Mission debut. Left-handed pitcher Osvaldo Fernandez will make his first start today at 2 p.m. at Harbor in a Harbor-El Camino tournament game.

The pair, who played on various Cuban national teams, contacted Mission Coach John Klitsner and enrolled this semester, he said.

“These guys are exceptional,� Klitsner said. “They are just way better than the typical junior college ballplayer.�

Both players live in Sylmar. Alvarez is a 6-4, 220-pounder who bats left-handed. Fernandez is 6 feet, 190.

Alvarez is 24 and Fernandez is 23, Klitsner said. They decided to compete this season in preparation for the June amateur draft.

Mission left fielder Dereck Ornelas, a sophomore from Sylmar High, was three for four with a homer and drove in two runs.

Right-hander Ray Rivera (3-0), a freshman from San Fernando High, allowed two earned runs and three hits over six innings.