51s loosen up, hold off Chihuahuas in tight PCL Southern Pacific Division race
This pseudo-playoff baseball being played at Cashman Field this week is not for the faint of heart.
The 51s, desperately clinging to first place in the Pacific Coast League’s Southern Pacific Division with the El Paso Chihuahuas nipping at their heels, managed to stay at the top after holding off El Paso 8-7 on Tuesday night.
Las Vegas increased its lead to 1½ games, though the Chihuahuas have a game in hand. Las Vegas has six games remaining and El Paso seven.
“Great win,” 51s manager Wally Backman said. “That’s a good ballclub over there. But I like the way our guys responded.”
Particularly reliever John Church. On Monday, he was the goat after giving up a three-run triple on an 0-2 pitch to Hector Gomez in the ninth inning as El Paso rallied for a 6-5 win.
On Tuesday, Church pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless ball, getting Hunter Renfroe to pop up with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth, then getting a double play grounder from Gomez to save the game for Las Vegas.
“It was hard last night,” Church said. “It was one pitch, but it sits with you. I’m just glad I got a chance to redeem myself.”
Church said everyone on both sides knows what’s at stake. In fact, Backman called a team meeting after Monday’s loss to settle the team down.
“We were too tight, and you can’t play well when you’re tight,” he said. “I told the guys to go out and relax and just play.
“Everyone’s worried about who’s getting called up, who’s here and who’s not. Me? The only ones I’m worried about are the ones in this room.”
Las Vegas jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first after a leadoff home run by Dilson Herrera and two unearned runs off starter Jason Lane as the El Paso defense committed three errors in the inning.
The 51s added one run in the third and two in the fourth and led 8-3 entering the seventh. But El Paso closed to 8-6 on a Renfroe three-run homer, then made it 8-7 as a bases-loaded walk from Darlo Alvarez got the Chihuhuas well within striking range to take the lead.
But then Church worked his magic, and the 51s extended their division lead midway through the series.
“It’s pretty intense,” Church said. “It’s a lot of pressure. But this is why you play, to be in games like this, playing for something.”
* NOTES — El Paso outfielder Alex Dickerson was named the PCL’s Rookie of the Year on Tuesday. Las Vegas outfielder Travis Taijeron received votes in the balloting. … The 51s went over the 300,000 mark in attendance with Tuesday’s crowd of 2,253. They have drawn 301,547 for 63 dates, an average of 4,786. … Tim Stauffer (4-0, 2.23 ERA) starts for the 51s at 7:05 p.m. today against Chris Smith (5-6, 3.62). … Las Vegas activated pitcher Chasen Bradford before Tuesday’s game.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.