51s hanging tough amid rampant roster turnover

Compared to the loaded lineup the 51s fielded a few short weeks ago, the team that took the field for Las Vegas at Cashman Field on Friday night looked as foreign as the club's alien logo.

"Our whole team's in the big leagues now," said right-handed pitcher Sean O'Sullivan, who joined the 51s on June 23 after parent Toronto acquired him in a trade with Kansas City. "We've lost one through nine in the lineup since I've been here, but the guys that have filled in have done an outstanding job."

By a combination of call-ups and trades, Las Vegas has lost seven of its top 10 hitters. That total doesn't include catcher Travis d'Arnaud, the Blue Jays' top prospect, who tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee June 25 and is out for the season after batting .333 with 16 home runs and 52 RBIs.

Outfielder Travis Snider - who hit .335 with 56 RBIs in 56 games for Las Vegas - was traded to the Pirates and outfielder Eric Thames (.330) was traded to the Mariners on July 30.

Five other key 51s players have been promoted to Toronto: No. 2 prospect Anthony Gose (.292, 29 stolen bases), 2011 Pacific Coast League batting champion David Cooper (.314), Moises Sierra (.289, 17 homers, 63 RBIs), Yan Gomes (.340) and Adeiny Hechavarria (.312, 63 RBIs).

"It's always difficult when you lose that many good hitters in a short amount of time," Las Vegas manager Marty Brown said. "In a matter of a week, we lost the whole middle of our order. That's pretty devastating."

Mike McCoy on Friday joined the list of 51s heading north of the border. He was yanked out of center field with one out in the second inning to catch a flight to Toronto. The veteran is expected to join the Blue Jays today against the Yankees as a likely replacement for injured outfielder Colby Rasmus.

Despite the losses, Las Vegas (67-52) remains on track for its first winning season since 2008 and in contention for its first playoff berth in 11 years.

Luke Hughes hit a walk-off RBI single with two outs in the ninth to send the 51s to a 4-3 victory over the Iowa Cubs (44-76). Las Vegas trails Pacific South-leading Sacramento (73-47) by 5½ games with 24 games remaining, including four on the road against the River Cats following their eight-game home stand.

"Every day we look to see what (Sacramento) did and see where we're at," said O'Sullivan, 7-1 with a 2.16 ERA for Las Vegas. "We need to get (their lead) down to a few games before we get there and we can turn it around there."

The 51s, who are 61-37 since a 6-15 start, were a half-game back on July 24, but since then have lost nine of 16.

"The only reason we're kind of hanging in there is due to our pitching staff," Brown said. "They're doing a great job."

Sluggers Jack Cust and Mike McDade are among the 51s' newcomers.

Cust - who walked, stole second and scored the winning run Friday - compiled 84 homers and 229 RBIs over three seasons (2007 to 2009) for the Oakland Athletics, but also led the American League in strikeouts each year.

McDade, a Silverado High School product who was called up from Double-A New Hampshire on July 30, went 3-for-5 and is batting .317 (13-for-41) with a homer and eight RBIs through his first 10 Triple-A games.

"It's probably been good for him to come here," Brown said. "It's kind of rejuvenated him a bit."

■ NOTE - Toronto claimed right-handed pitcher Juan Abreu off waivers from the Houston Astros and optioned him to Las Vegas, which sent 51s right-hander David Carpenter to the Blue Jays.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.