EXPOS PEREZ FACES RAPE CHARGES

ATLANTA--Carlos Perez of the Montreal Expos posted bond and walked out of jail yesterday, several hours after a judge refused to drop rape charges against him.

The 24-year-old rookie pitcher was arrested Saturday on charges of rape and aggravated sodomy after a 20-year-old woman accused him of forcing her to have sex in his hotel room after they met on a blind date.

Perez, wearing a multicolored beret and matching vest, a black T-shirt and jeans, hugged his Lawyer before leaving jail. He said he wants to pitch this week, and Expos general manager Kevin Malone said Perez could be on the mound as early as Thursday in Montreal against Cincinnati.

He'll rejoin the team today in Miami, where the Expos are playing the Florida Marlins.

The pitcher was released on $50,000 bond after Municipal Court Judge Howard Johnson turned over the case to Fulton County Superior Court.

Superior Court Judge Philip Etheridge agreed to let Perez go free but said he must have no contact with the victim.