Pena's poise and 95-mph fastball won him the National League ERA title (2.48) for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1984, when he went 12-6 with four shutouts. But the young Dominican was already suffering from a sore shoulder, which required surgery in February 1985. More than a year of rehabilitation followed, but by late 1987, Pena had established himself as one of the Dodgers' best relievers. Finding his niche out of the bullpen, he posted impressive strikeout numbers for the Dodgers until 1989.
Highly coveted by the New York Mets, Pena was dealt to the Big Apple along with Mike Marshall for Juan Samuel in December 1989. He continued his steady relief work with the Mets until September 1991, when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves for Tony Castillo to help the Braves' run to postseason. Just two days after the deal, Pena pitched the ninth inning of no-hit game against the San Diego Padres started by Kent Mercker. He became the Braves closer for the remainder of the campaign and the postseason, saving eleven games and allowing just three runs in nineteen innings.
After struggling in 1992, it was discovered that Pena needed reconstructive elbow surgery. He missed the entire 1993 season, but came back to close for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1994 with his velocity intact. Pena credited his comeback to inner fortitude, saying, "Doubt is the worst thing you can put in your mind. If you put in your mind that you might not come back, you're done. I never doubted that I was going to pitch again." He finished his career in 1996 with an impressive 3.11 lifetime ERA. (JCA/GL)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»August 24, 1983:
Cubs Chuck Rainey is one out away from a no-hitter when the Reds Eddie Milner singles to center on the first pitch. Rainey settles for a 3–0 one-hitter, his first complete game of the season. For Milner, this is the 3rd of five instances that he will collect his team's only hit in a game, a ML mark he'll share with Cesar Tovar. The other solos are Dickie Noles and Jerry Reuss (1982), Len Barker & Donnie Moore (1984) and Alejandro Pena (1986).
»August 2, 1986: Dodgers Alejandro Pena and Tom Niedenfuer combine to one-hit the Reds 7–1, allowing only Eddie Milner's leadoff home run off Pena in the 6th inning. It is the 5th time Milner has collected the only hit in a one-hitter, tying Cesar Tovar's ML record.
»August 28, 1991:
The Mets trade P Alejandro Pena to the Braves for P Tony Castillo and a player to be named later.
»September 11, 1991: Atlanta's Kent Mercker, Mark Wohlers and Alejandro Pena combine to toss a 1-0 no-hitter against San Diego. It is only the second no-hitter in Atlanta history, following Phil Niekro's 1973 masterpiece over the same Padres.
»October 27, 1991: The Twins become World Champions with a 1-0 victory in 10 innings behind Jack Morris's masterful pitching. Gene Larkin's single off Alejandro Pena scores Dan Gladden with the game's only run. The game is the first Game seven to go into extra innings since the Senators-Giants Series in 1924. Morris is named the Series MVP for the Twins, who win all four games in the Metrodome while losing all three in Atlanta. Four of the seven games are decided on the final pitch, while five are decided by a single run, and three in extra innings. All are Series records.
»October 3, 1995:
Atlanta defeats Colorado in Game 1 of the other NL Division Series, 5-4. 3B Chipper Jones homers twice, and Alejandro Pena picks up the win in relief.
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