51s’ Lubanski eager to head home as PCL All-Star

When Chris Lubanski got his first look at this season's Pacific Coast League schedule, he quickly set his sights on playing in the Triple-A All-Star Game.

The midseason game will be played July 14 at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pa., about 50 miles from where the 51s left fielder was born and raised.

With a strong first half in which he hit .305 with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs, Lubanski not only earned a spot on the PCL All-Star team -- which will play the International League stars -- he was the league's top vote-getter in online fan balloting.

"I had a bunch of my friends and family voting for me, so it will be nice to be able to go home and play in front of them," Lubanski said before going 1-for-3 in Las Vegas' 9-2 loss to the Reno Aces on Thursday at Cashman Field. "It's a big deal for me."

Lubanski was named as a reserve outfielder, and he was joined by teammates J.P. Arencibia, who will start at catcher, and Brett Wallace, named as a reserve at first base. All are former first-round draft picks.

Arencibia is batting .311 and leads Las Vegas in homers (18), doubles (25), and RBIs (49). Wallace is batting .301 with 14 homers and 42 RBIs.

"It's a great honor for those guys to go," 51s manager Dan Rohn said. "I've said all year we can hit. We haven't caught it too well, but we can hit."

Arencibia batted .236 last season, his first in Las Vegas, and was stuck at .254 a few weeks ago. But he has gone on a tear, raising his average 57 points and producing nine homers and 22 RBIs in his last 19 games.

He went 2-for-4 with a double Thursday to extend his hitting streak to nine games and has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games.

"(Arencibia) is confident in what he's doing behind the plate and at the plate. The biggest thing for him is confidence," Rohn said. "When his confidence is flowing, he's a tough out -- like anybody, but even more so with him."

Arencibia is tied for second in the PCL in homers and leads the league in extra-base hits (44), slugging percentage (.615) and total bases (163). He attributes much of his success to doing extra work with 51s hitting coach Chad Mottola.

"We've been working on getting ready early. That's been night and day for me seeing the ball," said Arencibia, who also had corrective laser eye surgery before the season.

Wallace, who moved from third base to first this season for the first time since he played the position at Arizona State, has made big strides on defense.

"I was just kind of getting comfortable (at first base) again and getting used to the angles again," said Wallace, who sat out his third straight game because of a sore wrist. "Once the game starts now, I can actually play the position, let it go and have fun and just react to the ball."

■ NOTE -- The Toronto Blue Jays released 51s infielder Luis Figueroa and promoted Manny Mayorson to Las Vegas from Double A. Figueroa hit .326 this season for the 51s.

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