Inside-the-park HR, Hoffpauir cycle guide 51s

Cracking an inside-the-park home run and hitting for the cycle are two of the rarest feats in baseball.

Incredibly, 51s right fielder Aaron Mathews and second baseman Jarrett Hoffpauir accomplished them in consecutive at-bats to lead Las Vegas to a 6-4 victory over Tacoma on Friday in front of a crowd of 6,339 at Cashman Field.

With Raul Chavez on first base and two outs in the sixth inning, Mathews launched a drive off the wall in right-center field. The ball caromed into center and all three Tacoma outfielders converged on it as Mathews raced around the bases and slid into home to give Las Vegas a 5-3 lead it wouldn't relinquish.

The inside-the-park shot was the first of Mathews' seven-year professional career and only the 14th in Las Vegas' 28-year franchise history.

Hoffpauir followed with a double off the right-field wall to complete his second cycle in 34 days. It was the ninth cycle in Las Vegas franchise history, and Hoffpauir is the only one with two.

Former Philadelphia Phillies star John Kruk was the first Las Vegas player to hit an inside-the-park homer, in 1985, a year after he became the first Las Vegas player to hit for the cycle.

"To do it twice in just over a month is something special," said Hoffpauir, who leads the 51s in batting (.348) and RBIs (36) and has a 10-game hitting streak. "It's something I'll cherish forever."

The 26-year-old Hoffpauir, also a seven-year pro, hit for his first career cycle at Cashman Field on April 25, when he also tied a franchise record by scoring five times in a 14-11 victory over Sacramento.

On Friday, Hoffpauir tripled and scored in the first inning, singled in the third and launched a two-run homer over the left-field wall in the fifth to give Las Vegas (21-28) a 3-1 lead. He finished 4-for-4 with three runs, also scoring in the sixth to give the 51s a 6-3 lead.

Shortstop Luis Figueroa supplied two hits and two RBIs for the 51s, who won for the second time in three games. First baseman Brett Wallace had two hits.

Las Vegas starter Rey Gonzalez gave up three runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings and Jesse Carlson (1-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win.

Each team had 14 hits, but the Rainiers (21-24) grounded into three inning-ending double plays and four overall.

The game began a four-game series that continues at 7:05 p.m. today.

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