One big win down, three to go for Stars

Friday, June 14, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Pete Smith, a nine-year major-league veteran, didn't need the added motivation of pitching in a do-or-die situation when the Las Vegas Stars met the Phoenix Firebirds.

But it didn't hurt.

Smith threw seven shutout innings against the Firebirds Thursday night and Joey Long and Dustin Hermanson combined for two innings of scoreless relief as the Stars avoided being eliminated from the Pacific Coast League Southern Division race with a 1-0 victory at Scottsdale Stadium.

The Stars (31-34) moved to within three games of front-running Phoenix in the division standings with three games to play. Tucson, a 10-0 winner at Tacoma Thursday night, is in second place, two games behind the Firebirds.

"I haven't been doing my job the way I should have been," said Smith, who snapped a personal four-game losing streak and improved his record to 4-6. "I really didn't do anything except go out there and just throw the ball tonight -- I didn't try to think too much.

"I know it was a big game for us, and I was motivated for that, but I think I just eliminated thinking too much. You look at the circumstances and where we are and who we're playing, and that motivates you. I have felt motivated the last three or four starts, but I wasn't getting the job done."

Smith outdueled Phoenix starter Steve Soderstrom (2-4) for seven innings, and left the game with a 1-0 lead. The Stars scored the lone run of the contest in the top of the seventh on a leadoff double by Chad Tredaway and an RBI single by Julio Bruno.

"When we scored that run, they weren't going to score -- that was my own philosophy -- because I knew it was going to be a one-run ballgame. I said to myself, 'If we get a run here, I'm going to take it to them.' Luckily, it worked out that way."

It almost didn't. After Tredaway opened the seventh with the double, Bruno missed a bunt sign from manager Jerry Royster before he eventually slapped a 3-2 offering from Soderstrom into center field.

"We have to come out and play three more days just like that ... actually, we have to play better than that," Royster said. "I didn't think we played very good today. We made some good plays but we missed some signs. We're doing all the same things (wrong) and you can't do that in games like this.

"Now I'm going to have a meeting and we're going to go over signs. The timing is bad but, heck, it almost cost us a game today. We shouldn't be missing any signs at this point in the season."

After taking the lead in the top of the seventh, the Firebirds appeared as if they would answer in the bottom half of the inning. Bill Mueller led off with a single against Long, but Jacob Cruz hit a grounder to first baseman Jim Tatum, who started a difficult 3-6-3 double play to end the threat.

Tatum had moved to first base from left field after starting first baseman Rob Deer was ejected by home plate umpire Mike Everitt in the top of the seventh for arguing a called second strike.

"Our pitching was outstanding and we made a huge defensive play on the 3-6-3 double play -- that was huge," Royster said. "Tatum was playing first base for the first time (for us) and to be able to make that play right there, that's the biggest play of the game."

Hermanson picked up for Long to start the ninth and got two quick outs before the Firebirds made things interesting. Tim Florez reached first on a throwing error by third baseman Tredaway and Kenny Woods followed with a single to right that sent Florez to third. Hermanson snuffed the rally by striking out pinch-hitter Darryl Kennedy on a high fastball and earning his 12th save.

Like Smith, Hermanson had been struggling recently and was more concerned with getting his act together than getting caught up in the playoff race and the importance of Thursday's game.

"You've got to try to take each game the same way," Hermanson said. "I've been struggling a couple times lately and I'm trying to iron out things and try to get myself back into it.

"I know it's a crucial time for the team because we've got to win four games in a row, and of course I'm going to give it everything I have, but I think maybe I rose a little bit to the occasion to try to get myself back to the way I'm used to throwing."

To hear Tredaway talk, Hermanson isn't the only player who will rise to the occasion in what boils down to a single-elimination series for the Stars.

"Everybody knows what we have to do these next three games and the intensity and the excitement is definitely in (this clubhouse)," Tredaway said. "That's a big part of why this group of guys is so great, because they do have that in them.

"I think we're confident, I think everybody in this locker room believes we can go out and win these four games. I think if we stay mentally together and battle like we did tonight, things will work out for us."

* STARS NOTES: Stars reliever Dustin Hermanson earned his 26th career save with the Stars Thursday night and is now tied for the franchise lead in that category. Hermanson shares the record with Keith Comstock and Todd Simmons. ... Former Bonanza High and UNLV pitcher Doug Vanderweele tossed two scoreless innings in relief for the Firebirds in Thursday's loss to the Stars. Vanderweele is 3-0 with a 3.77 ERA in 21 relief appearances for the Firebirds. ... Julio Bruno extended his hitting streak to five games with his RBI single in the seventh. ... Jim Tatum has hit safely in all four games in which he has played since joining the Stars. ... Third baseman Paul Russo suffered a pulled groin muscle in the sixth inning of Wednesday night's game at Cashman Field and was unable to make the start Thursday night. Stars manager Jerry Royster said Russo's availability would be assessed on a day-to-day basis. ... The Stars will send left-hander Russ Swan (2-5, 5.09) to the mound in the second game of the series tonight at 7:05. Swan will be opposed by Firebirds left-hander Shawn Estes (7-2, 3.28).