‘Tired’ 51s again fail to give Sunday best

Last Sunday the 51s needed some ninth-inning magic -- a pinch-hit, walk-off grand slam by Brian Dopirak -- to carve out a wild, windswept 14-11 victory over Sacramento at Cashman Field.

With the wind still howling a week later, Las Vegas again rallied for four runs in the ninth Sunday, but it wasn't nearly enough in a 11-5 loss to Colorado Springs.

The Sky Sox (13-10) scored in each of the last five innings, including three in the eighth and four in the ninth, to take an 11-1 lead.

"We came out flat, that's the bottom line," 51s manager Dan Rohn said. "I've got to do a better job getting them ready to play on Sundays. That's the second time we've done that on Sunday. We looked like a tired ballclub today."

Las Vegas (12-12), which has gone 6-11 after a 6-1 start, finished 4-4 on its homestand.

The 51s went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left a season-high 14 runners on base. Las Vegas had a season-high-tying 17 hits, but 13 were singles.

"You don't do a lot of damage with 13 singles," Rohn said. "It was one of those days where we just didn't do anything right. The wind was blowing out 45 mph to right field, but we didn't hit a ball to right field until the eighth inning.

"We got our butts kicked today."

Travis Metcalf had three hits and three RBIs for the Sky Sox and Jonathan Herrera had three hits and two RBIs. Metcalf's two-run double in the ninth made it 9-1 and Herrera's two-run homer capped the scoring for Colorado Springs.

Warren Schaeffer, who had three RBIs, gave the Sky Sox a 6-1 lead with a two-run single in the eighth and Matt Miller added a run-scoring single to make it 7-1.

Marty McLeary allowed seven runs on nine hits in the last two innings.

51s starter Lance Broadway (0-3) allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings, struck out five and walked two.

Tim Redding (1-1) scattered nine hits in 5 2/3 innings for Colorado Springs, allowing one run with four strikeouts and one walk.

Las Vegas first baseman Brett Wallace belted a two-run homer -- his Pacific Coast League-leading ninth homer -- to make it 11-3 in the ninth. Luis Figueroa launched his first homer of the season, a two-run shot to right, to make it 11-5.

Aaron Mathews led Las Vegas with three hits and Figueroa, Jesus Merchan, Kyle Phillips, Chris Lubanski, Jeremy Reed and Jarrett Hoffpauir had two.

■ NOTES -- The Toronto Blue Jays sent right-hander Merkin Valdez to Las Vegas, which sent right-hander B.J. LaMura to Single-A Dunedin. … Former 51s slugger John Lindsey, now with Albuquerque, entered Sunday leading the PCL in batting (.443), on-base percentage (.494), hits (31), doubles (10) and runs scored (20). In his 16th professional season, the 33-year-old Lindsey is still awaiting his first call to the majors.

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