Dilson Herrera’s big night caps comeback victory for 51s
It won’t be too long before Dilson Herrera is playing second base for the New York Mets. He showed why Saturday night.
The 51s’ leadoff hitter scored the game’s first run, hit a home run and a walk-off single to cap an 8-7 comeback victory over the Tacoma Rainiers before 8,201 at Cashman Field.
“There’s a big difference between Triple A and the big leagues, even now more than there used to be,” Las Vegas manager Wally Backman said. “But in my mind, I can still see Dilson Herrera someday being an All-Star second baseman in the big leagues.”
Herrera finished 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs, two RBIs and the walk-off single to send fans home happy.
The start and the end of Saturday’s game went well for the 51s, but they’d rather forget the middle.
After Herrera walked to lead off the game, he reached third on a throwing error on the pitcher and scored on an RBI groundout. Johnny Monell followed with a homer, and after that, Tacoma took over.
The Rainiers scored the next four runs before surrendering a towering home run to Herrera that scraped the sky before scratching the back of the left-field wall that is marked at 328 feet from home plate. Officially, it went 335 feet.
Tacoma scored twice in the eighth, allowed a Las Vegas run in the bottom half, then scored two in the ninth to bring the score to 7-4 and set up Herrera’s heroics.
“This is a team that they know that the game is not over until the last out,” Herrera said in Spanish and translated through an interpreter. “They’re going to fight until the very end.”
Enter Jonathan Aro, the Rainiers’ reliever who boasted a 1.26 ERA and one loss all season.
The 51s were not afraid. The inning went double, double, flyout, single and long Kyle Johnson double to tie the game. Then came Herrera.
“Dilson is the guy,” Backman said.
Dilson’s single to win it masked a game that was sometimes sloppy by the 51s. In the second inning, center fielder Brandon Nimmo misplayed a ball that turned into a triple and eventually a run. In the eighth inning, right fielder Travis Taijeron made an error that turned a triple into a Little League home run.
“I expect 100 percent from my guys at all times, no matter what the score is, no matter what the situation is,” Backman said.
Rafael Montero’s line as starting pitcher looked good enough – seven innings, four runs – but he allowed nine hits and two walks. The seven innings were a season high.
Up next
Who: Tacoma Rainiers at Las Vegas 51s
When: 12:05 p.m. Sunday
Where: Cashman Field
Starters: Andrew Kittredge (0-0, 0.00 ERA), Rainiers, vs Seth Lugo (3-3, 7.28 ERA)
Next five
Monday: Tacoma at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday: Tacoma at Las Vegas, 12:05 p.m.
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Las Vegas at Albuquerque, 6:05 p.m.
Friday: Las Vegas at Albuquerque, 6:05 p.m.
Update
• Right-hander Jeff Walters was outrighted by the New York Mets after clearing waivers Saturday and rejoined the 51s. He was designated for assignment Monday by the Mets. Walters is 0-2 with a 9.27 ERA in 22 1/3 innings with Las Vegas this season.
• Former 51s infielder Matt Reynolds had a pinch-hit RBI single Saturday for the Mets. He was promoted to New York on Friday.
Justin Emerson can be reached at jemerson@reviewjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @J15Emerson
