Gose’s blast helps hot 51s get back to .500

A virtual galloping Gose on the basepaths, speed is the trademark of Anthony Gose's game.

But the 51s center fielder - who stole second base, third and home in the same inning of a spring training game for the Blue Jays - also possesses some power.

Gose launched his second home run in two days to help Las Vegas to a 7-6 comeback victory over Salt Lake on Monday in front of a sellout School Day crowd of 11,465 at Cashman Field.

The 51s (16-16) gained their season-high sixth straight win, capped a four-game sweep of the Bees (15-17) and reached the .500 mark for the first time since April 6, when they were 1-1.

The 21-year-old Gose launched a three-run shot to right field with two outs in the sixth to put the 51s ahead 6-5 - capping their rally from a 5-0 deficit - and David Cooper delivered the decisive tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth.

"I'm just trying to help the team win, put the bat on the ball, get on base and score runs," Gose said. "I was fortunate enough today that I ran into one, the wind was in my favor and it blew out."

After Salt Lake tied it in the seventh on Matt Long's sacrifice fly, Las Vegas loaded the bases in the eighth for Cooper, whose high fly fell into shallow left field beyond the reach of left fielder Ed Lucas, who tried to make a sliding catch.

"I hit it off the label. I got jammed pretty bad," Cooper said. "I thought the shortstop was going to get it."

Closer Chad Beck struck out two in a perfect ninth to finish the five-hitter and earn his fourth save in five chances.

Moises Sierra went 3-for-4 with a solo homer that started the comeback and Adeiny Hechavarria had a pair of RBI singles. Gose, Travis d'Arnaud and Ruben Gotay supplied two hits apiece in the 51s' 13-hit attack.

Jesse Chavez allowed five runs on five hits - including two homers - and two walks in six innings, with six strikeouts.

Long hit a two-run blast to right-center in the third to put Salt Lake ahead 2-0 and John Hester belted a three-run shot to left in the fourth.

Ryota Igarashi (1-1) pitched a perfect eighth to earn the win for the 51s, who have won 10 of 11 since opening 6-15.

"We're starting to jell and play as a team," said Gose, rated Toronto's No. 2 prospect by Baseball America.

After compiling 70 steals and a career-high 16 homers last year for Double-A New Hampshire, Gose got off to a slow start in his first Triple-A season.

But he's starting to hit his stride, stealing 11 straight bases after getting caught on his first three attempts and hitting safely in eight straight games (11-for-33) to raise his average to .238.

"Staying positive has been a great part of my success so far," he said. "Slowly, things are starting to turn around."

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