Another big inning, another 51s loss

The good news for the 51s is they didn't give up six runs in an inning for the third straight game. The bad news is they gave up 10 runs in the sixth inning of Sunday's 13-8 loss to Sacramento at Cashman Field.

It was the 51s' third straight defeat at home, where they had won 15 of their previous 18 games. They fell to 2-9 in August.

The 10 runs were the most allowed in an inning this season by Las Vegas (55-66).

"I was hoping we already had our biggest (inning) all year," 51s manager Lorenzo Bundy said. "We've had trouble with the big inning the last couple of nights, and we went worse than that (today).

"It takes a lot out of you when you're out there playing defense and you give up a 10-spot. It's pretty emotionally draining, plus dealing with the weather also is physically (draining)."

Trailing 5-1 in the sixth, the River Cats batted around for the third straight day. They sent 14 players to the plate, stroked nine hits and drew three walks against three 51s pitchers to take an 11-5 lead.

The first seven batters reached base safely in the frame, and four players had two hits apiece in the inning for Sacramento, which improved to 11-4 against Las Vegas this season.

"Our guys can grind out some at-bats and run 10 or 11 guys through a pitching staff," River Cats manager Tony DeFrancesco said. "Our job now is to try to win the series all the way out."

The 51s, who scored three runs in the ninth inning, will wrap up their four-game homestand at 7:11 p.m. today before embarking on a nine-game road trip to Colorado Springs and Portland.

"It was good to see us score a lot of runs late in the game," Bundy said. "Hopefully we can build on that and come out and get the game (tonight)."

Las Vegas is 13-29 in its Pacific Coast League Pacific Southern Division this season and 42-37 against the rest of the league. First-place Sacramento (71-51) has the second-best record in the 16-team league.

"I think we have one of the stronger divisions in the league," Bundy said.

Starter Spike Lundberg, who threw 97 pitches, gave up three runs on four hits in five innings and left after allowing the first two batters to reach base in the sixth.

Reliever Dwayne Pollok was tagged for five runs on five hits and a walk in 2/3 of an inning, and Casey Hoorelbeke gave up three runs on four hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings.

"We were trying to get one more (inning) out of (Lundberg), but he ran out of gas," Bundy said. "Dwayne didn't have it today, and Casey had a tough time also."

Las Vegas issued eight walks and leads the PCL with 498 bases on balls. The 51s are last in the league with a 5.27 ERA.

Jorge Piedra had three RBIs for the River Cats, and Dee Brown, Lou Merloni and Eduardo Cornejo added two RBIs apiece.

Wilkin Ruan hit a three-run homer for the 51s, and Shea Hillenbrand and John Lindsey each added a two-run shot.