Las Vegas 51s vs Tacoma Rainiers advance
Tacoma Rainiers at Las Vegas 51s
■ WHEN: 7:05 p.m. today through Thursday
■ WHERE: Cashman Field
■ RECORDS: Rainiers (59-77); 51s (75-60)
■ AFFILIATIONS: Tacoma Rainiers, Seattle Mariners; Las Vegas, Toronto Blue Jays
■ TODAY'S PITCHERS: Rainiers RHP Andrew Carraway (5-7, 4.51 ERA) vs. RHP Sean O'Sullivan (9-2, 2.21)
■ RADIO: KBAD-AM (920)
■ SERIES NOTES: This is the final homestand of the season for the 51s, who trail Pacific Coast League-leading Sacramento (81-55) by 5½ games in the Pacific South Division with eight games left. Las Vegas, which has lost two straight and five of seven, will close out its 30th season in a four-game series on the road against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox from Friday through Sept. 3. Tacoma features four of Seattle's top 10 prospects, according to Baseball America, in left-handed pitcher Danny Hultzen (No. 3), infielder Nick Franklin (No. 5), right-hander Chance Ruffin (No. 7) and infielder Vinnie Catricala (No. 9). 51s utility man Luke Hughes went 0-for-4 on Sunday as his eight-game hitting streak ended in a 2-1 loss at Tacoma in which Las Vegas only had three hits. Hughes is hitting .337 (27-for-80) in 21 games for the 51s. Center fielder Anthony Gose and shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria were optioned to Las Vegas from Toronto on Saturday, but Hechavarria was recalled by the Blue Jays on Sunday. Sean O'Sullivan, who started the season with Omaha, is 14-6 overall with a 4.06 ERA. He's 4-1 with a 1.54 ERA at Cashman Field, where he has allowed only seven earned runs in 41 innings over six starts. The 51s, who only have 12 hits over their last three games, are tied for second in the PCL in batting with Reno, with a .298 average. Albuquerque is hitting a league-best .299. Las Vegas has won three of the last four PCL batting titles. The 51s are sixth in the PCL in ERA (4.62), lowering it by more than a run from last season (5.76).
TODD DEWEY/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
