Royster loses in Stars debut

Friday, April 5, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Perhaps it was the 6 a.m. flight out of Las Vegas, or maybe the fact they had played only two games in six days.

Whatever the reason, the Las Vegas Stars could get almost nothing going offensively in a 5-1 season-opening loss to the Vancouver Canadians Thursday night at Nat Bailey Stadium.

The Stars managed only four hits and spoiled Jerry Royster's Pacific Coast League managerial debut.

Las Vegas catcher Sean Mulligan accounted for the Stars' only run when he homered to deep left-center field with one out in the fifth inning. By then, however, Vancouver had opened up a 5-0 lead by scoring single runs in each of the first five innings.

Because the four-game series originally was to have been played at Cashman Field, the Stars are serving as the "home" team and batting last. The series was moved to Canada to accommodate the Oakland Athletics, who are playing their first six regular-season games in Las Vegas.

The Canadians got to Las Vegas starter Denny Harriger for a run in the first inning on a leadoff walk by Marquis Riley, a one-out single by Darin Erstad -- who was 3-for-4 in the game -- and a run-scoring ground out by Todd Greene.

Vancouver added an unearned run in the second, made it 3-0 in the third and got another unearned run off Harriger in the fourth. The Canadians made it 5-0 on Chris Pritchett's solo home run in the fifth off former UNLV star Scott Lewis.

Harriger (0-1) allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits, walked two and struck out four in four innings. Lewis gave up a run on four hits and struck out two in two innings and Andres Berumen and Pete Walker combined for three innings of scoreless relief for the Stars.

Shortstop Luis Lopez, who is with the Stars on a 21-day rehabilitation assignment from the San Diego Padres, had two of the Stars' four hits. Second baseman Homer Bush singled in his first triple-A at-bat and was 1-for-3 in the contest.

Vancouver starter Phil Leftwich, who is coming off arm surgery, allowed one run on four hits and struck out seven in as many innings to earn the win. Todd Frowirth tossed two scoreless innings to preserve the victory.

The four-game series continued this afternoon at 1:30 with Stars left-hander Glenn Dishman facing Vancouver right-hander Shad Williams.

The Stars return to Cashman Field for their home opener on Tuesday with the first of four games against the Tacoma Rainiers.