PITTSBURGH - His numbers were different as day and night, and Oliver Perez's outlook was dark.

"I kept trying," the 23-year-old Pirate lefthander said. "But it wasn't working."

Through seven starts this season, Perez was saddled with a 1-4 record, an 8.03 earned run average and nearly a ticket to Class AAA Indianapolis.

This was the same pitcher who compiled 239 strikeouts, 12 wins and a 2.98 ERA as a 22-year-old phenom a year ago.

"The major leagues can be tough on a young pitcher," catcher Humberto Cota said. "Last year was Oliver's first full season in the big leagues. A lot of hitters were seeing him for the first time.

"Hitters at this level adjust to young pitchers. In turn, young pitchers have to improve."

But Perez hadn't. He sat idle most of the winter, then developed an elbow problem in spring training and didn't get a lot of work.

Once he slipped to 1-4, the Pirates dropped Perez from the rotation for two starts, but they didn't drop him to Indianapolis."He worked hard with (Pirates pitching coach Spin Williams) in the bullpen during that time and they ironed a few things out," Cota said. "Now Ollie's looking more and more like the Ollie from last year."Perez is 3-0 in four starts since returning to the rotation. In 23innings during that time, he's struck out 29 and walked 11 while lowering his ERA to 6.92.That compares to 29 strikeouts and 25 walks in his first seven starts.Perez's last outing - seven innings, seven strikeouts and three walks in a 5-2 win over Atlanta - might have been his best."I think it was," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He had command of all his pitches. And when he gave up the home run (to fall behind 2-1), it didn't rattle him."Perez was striking batters out on changeups - and liking it."You could see the smile on his face when I threw the ball back to him," Cota said. "He's realizing other pitches can work for him. He doesn't have to try blowing the ball by people all the time."Considered the team's ace pitcher at the start of the season, Perez knows the importance of joining the other members of the Pirate rotation in producing quality starts."I have to do my share," he said. "We're playing good baseball right now. This is fun."For the first time, all of my pitches are working. My slider, changeup, sinker - I'm throwing them for strikes."That's good news for the Pirates and bad news for National League hitters."Everybody on this staff has been pitching well," Perez said. "I have to keep going. I have to keep winning."We have a good team. Right now, we have a chance to prove it."