LOS ANGELES -- Steve Schmoll has made a habit of going from long shot to valued commodity. He wasn't drafted after pitching for five years at Maryland, but 14 months after signing with the Dodgers, he was closing games for Double-A Jacksonville. Just eight months later, he finds himself entering Major League games in save situations.

Schmoll earned his first Major League save on April 9 by closing out a wacky, 12-10 win. On Wednesday, he quickly induced a trio of groundouts to preserve a 4-1 Dodgers lead in the eighth, and earn his first hold. Once again, the 25-year-old had made the most of an opportunity.

"We had no intentions of having this guy on our club unless we were confident using him in the last third of a ballgame," manager Jim Tracy said. "He has a lot of movement on all his pitches, as evidenced by those three ground balls he got [Wednesday]."

Schmoll attributes his excellent movement to the sidearm delivery he discovered while experimenting during a long-toss session at the end of his junior year at Maryland.

Schmoll's coach saw him and asked if he could do it in a game. After initially using the delivery as a show pitch, Schmoll began turning himself into a full-time sidearmer -- a process he completed last season -- because he liked what it did for his game.

"Movement, deception, different angles for the hitters, and after I started using it exclusively, it helped me with my control," Schmoll said. "It just felt natural."

Schmoll and lefty sidearmer Kelly Wunsch have lockers next to each other in the Dodgers clubhouse. Wunsch is in his 13th professional season as a drop-down artist, so he's nearby if Schmoll needs any advice.

"I don't know if it was random or not," Schmoll said. "It was probably the sidewinder thing."

Wunsch, the ultimate specialist, is a good neighbor for Schmoll to have, given the way Tracy envisions his role in the bullpen.

"With that specialty he has, to be here, he has to have a purpose," Tracy said. "You don't have a guy like that on a big-league club just to pitch innings."

So far, Schmoll has shown he can fill that role. Just like Wunsch, who slays lefties (lifetime .186 opponents' batting average), Schmoll can shut down a set of right-handed hitters. He threw 22 1/3 scoreless innings last year for Vero Beach, and has struck out 129 batters in 121 1/3 career innings.

Perhaps more impressively, though -- given the traditional traits of situational relievers -- Schmoll rarely walks the men he's been brought in to face. In his Minor League career, Schmoll walked just 2.96 men per nine innings. By comparison, Major League relievers averaged 3.86 walks per nine innings in 2004.

"His composure is something that jumps out at you," Tracy said. "He isn't intimidated in the least bit, and he throws a lot of strikes."

There's a significant chance Schmoll could be sent down when pitchers Eric Gagne and Brad Penny return from the disabled list. Whether he stays or goes, though, Schmoll will approach the game the same way.

"Seriously, you can't worry about that stuff," Schmoll said. "I've got to go out and get people out, no matter what the situation."

Penny's progress:Penny threw all his pitches during a painless, 30-pitch bullpen Friday afternoon. Penny will pitch for the Las Vegas 51s while the Dodgers are in Milwaukee, and -- if all goes well -- might make his next start wearing Dodger blue.

"We're going to let him pitch this game he has in Vegas and reassess at that time," Tracy said. "The opportunity to face a better grade of hitters is something that we're very interested to see."

Penny could throw up to 80 pitches and six innings for the 51s, Tracy said.

Trainer's tote board: Wilson Alvarez will throw one inning in an Extended Spring Training game Saturday. Gagne isn't throwing yet, but continues to report improvement.

On deck: Scott Erickson will make his second start of the season Saturday against Adam Eaton (1-0, 2.53 ERA) and the Padres.

Erickson (0-0, 12.46 ERA) made the team as a non-roster invitee by posting a 2.10 ERA in 30 innings during Spring Training, but gave up six runs to the Diamondbacks (including four homers) in his first start April 9.