Nolasco thrilled to join hometown club

PHOENIX -- Ricky Nolasco joined the Dodgers Monday, wearing the uniform of his favorite team as he grew up in Rialto, one hour east of Dodger Stadium.

"We would go to 15 to 20 games a year," said Nolasco, who said 20 family members and friends will attend his first Dodgers start Tuesday night against the D-backs.

Nolasco was acquired with $197,000 in international signing space from Miami Saturday for Minor Leaguer pitchers Josh Wall, Steven Ames and Angel Sanchez.

Nolasco is thrilled with the homecoming. His favorite Dodgers as a youth were pitchers Ramon Martinez and Chan Ho Park. He said he attended Kevin Gross' no-hitter, sitting in the front row on the Loge Level in seats his father, a sheet-metal mechanic in Glendale, would receive from his boss.

Opposing Nolasco Tuesday will be Arizona starting pitcher Ian Kennedy. Nolasco is enough of a Dodgers fan to know that Kennedy is on the team's radar following a series of incidents, most recently the June 11 brawl triggered when he drilled Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke near the head.

"They've made me aware," Nolasco said of his teammates. "I watch TV. I know what's going on. I'm just trying to win a ballgame."