Dodgers' Olivera belts first Triple-A homer

With every game he plays, Hector Olivera shows why the Dodgers jumped at the chance to sign the 30-year-old to a six-year, $62.5-million deal in March. Thanks to games like Friday, the conversation is starting to turn to when he'll be putting together impressive games in Los Angeles instead of Oklahoma City.

Olivera continued the torrid start to his U.S. professional career with a 4-for-5 performance on Friday night, blasting his first Pacific Coast League home run and leading the Triple-A Dodgers past Memphis, 6-3.

"Each at-bat and each game that I play, I feel more confident," Olivera said through a translator after Oklahoma City's fifth win in six games since he joined the club. "I'm preparing myself. I'm working very hard to get to the big league level, but each day, I feel more confident."

After beginning his Minor League career by posting a .318/.400/.455 slash line in six games with Double-A Tulsa, the Cuban defector has been even more impressive in his first six PCL games. Friday's showing lifted the infielder's slash line to .444/.667/1.111.

"I'm a little bit surprised [at my fast start], but at the same time, I prepared myself," he said. "Little by little, I've taken small steps at a time. I played in some games in the Dominican Republic [before signing] and [at extended spring training] in Arizona. At each level, I feel a little more confident. Now that I'm here in Oklahoma City, I feel even more confident."

Olivera tripled to center field and scored on top Dodgers prospect Corey Seager's RBI single to right in the first inning. He led off the third with an infield single on a sharp grounder to third base and followed two innings later with a leadoff homer to left-center. Needing a double to complete the cycle, he finished his night with another infield hit in the ninth.

"I think the level of pitching isn't that much different," Olivera said, comparing Double-A and Triple-A to the Cuban National Series. "What's different is the technology here in the United States; there's a lot more information here in the United States. People analyze a lot more than in Cuba. As a hitter, my approach has been the same, but I think I've seen more information here."

Through six games with Oklahoma City, Olivera has registered four multi-hit performances. Friday was his second four-hit night with the Dodgers, while the triple and homer were his first at the Triple-A level.

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told the Orange County Register earlier this week that there isn't a timetable for Olivera's arrival in the Major Leagues, but the infielder is using the bright lights of "The Show" as motivation while he toils in the Minors.

"I'm very excited to think about the possibility of playing with two of my countrymen [Alex Guerrero and Yasiel Puig] at the big league level," Olivera said. "It's very exciting. They've both worked hard. We've all worked hard, and we've had to make a lot of sacrifices to be where we are. I think Cuban baseball should get a lot of respect because of the people who have played before me. I'm very excited that I'm going to be at the same level as they are and I'm going to continue to show the quality of Cuban baseball."

Oklahoma City racked up 14 on Friday, with Dodgers No. 11 prospect Austin Barnes posting three and driving in two runs.

Former Blue Jays first-round pick Deck McGuire (3-2) continued his resurgence in the Dodgers system, limiting the Redbirds to one run on four hits over five innings of relief. He worked around three walks and struck out two.