Stars use their Mulligan

Tuesday, July 9, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Sean Mulligan drove in six runs to help the Las Vegas Stars rally from a six-run deficit and beat the Phoenix Firebirds 14-10 Sunday night at Scottsdale Stadium.

The Stars trailed 10-4 after six innings but rallied for two runs in the seventh, five in the eighth and three in the ninth to gain a split of the four-game series. Las Vegas is 12-8 in the second half and leads the Pacific Coast League Southern Division by two games going into the All-Star break.

Mulligan hit a solo home run in the second inning, his 15th, an RBI double in the fifth, a run-scoring ground out in the seventh and a three-run double in the ninth to lead the Stars' 16-hit attack. Riccardo Ingram also had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and four RBIs.

Las Vegas reliever Dario Veras (2-1) allowed three unearned runs on three hits in three innings and was the beneficiary of the Stars' late rally. Dustin Hermanson tossed two scoreless innings of relief and notched his team-leading 18th save.

Trailing 10-4, Las Vegas closed to 10-6 on Mulligan's run-scoring ground out and Ingram's RBI double in the seventh.

The Stars loaded the bases in the eighth on a leadoff walk by Rico Rossy and singles by Paul Russo and Ira Smith. Randy Ready drove in Rossy with an infield single and Jim Tatum extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a two-run single that made it 10-9.

Mulligan drew a one-out walk to reload the bases and Ingram followed with a walk to force in Reedy with the tieing run. A wild pitch by Phoenix reliever Carlos Valdez (3-2) allowed Tatum to score the go-ahead run.

Mulligan's bases-loaded double in the ninth accounted for the Stars' final runs.

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