51s’ Snider goes deep, then heads to Toronto

Aside from the six weeks Travis Snider spent on the disabled list this season, the 51s corner outfielder has all but banged down the door to the big leagues.

The burly slugger finally knocked it off the hinges Thursday, crushing his third home run in two days shortly before being summoned by the Blue Jays, who are expected to activate Snider for today's game at Boston.

Snider, 24, launched a solo homer to start a six-run second inning by Las Vegas in a 10-9, 10-inning victory over Fresno at Cashman Field. He was replaced later in the inning by pinch hitter Moises Sierra and hurriedly cleared out his locker as he rushed to catch a flight at McCarran International Airport.

"(The Blue Jays) could probably use him up there," 51s manager Marty Brown said. "It's just a matter of what move is going to happen in order to get him active up there.

"We wish Travis the best. He's a great kid, he's worked extremely hard and he's had a great attitude."

Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie took a bad fall trying to catch a foul ball Wednesday at Yankee Stadium and appears a likely candidate to go on the disabled list, creating room for Snider.

Earlier Thursday, the Blue Jays recalled corner infielder/catcher Yan Gomes from the 51s and optioned right-handed pitcher Sam Dyson to Double-A New Hampshire.

Gomes, who turned 25 on Thursday, is among the Pacific Coast League's leading hitters with a .340 average and has 11 homers and 47 RBIs in 65 games.

Snider, Toronto's former top prospect and first-round draft pick, opened the season with an 18-game hitting streak for the 51s before injuring his wrist trying to make a diving catch.

He hit .335 with 13 homers and 56 RBIs in 56 games for Las Vegas and had been on a tear his last six games, going 12-for-22 with four homers and 12 RBIs.

On Wednesday, Snider homered twice among four hits and had six RBIs before going deep in his only at-bat Thursday. In 232 career games for Toronto over the last four seasons, he's hitting .248 with 28 homers and 104 RBIs.

The 51s (56-42) rallied from a 6-0 second-inning deficit and also erased a 9-7 deficit in the eighth before Mike McCoy won it in the 10th on a walk-off RBI single to right-center field. Jonathan Diaz walked to lead off the 10th and Paul Phillips followed with a sacrifice bunt.

Las Vegas' biggest comeback of the season capped a four-game sweep of Fresno (51-46), was its eighth win in 10 games and raised its record a season-high 14 games over .500.

"The guys have responded even when they've gotten down early in games," Brown said. "The offense just keeps plugging. They have a lot of character.

"It's nice to watch them. It's a fun time right now. We're playing well."

Eric Thames drilled a leadoff double in the eighth and scored on Ricardo Nanita's single to make it 9-8. Nanita scored on an RBI groundout by Phillips, who had two hits and three RBIs.

McCoy had three hits and had two RBIs and Danny Perales hit a solo shot.

■ NOTE - Fresno first baseman Aubrey Huff went 0-for-1 with a walk and RBI groundout before departing the game after three innings. Huff, on a rehabilitation assignment for the San Francisco Giants for a right knee injury, is expected to join Single-A San Jose today to continue his rehab. The 35-year-old went 2-for-13 (.154) in the series.

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