It’s the same old story: Stars beaten

Friday, June 6, 1997 | 5:47 a.m.

SALT LAKE CITY -- A change of scenery did little to help the slumping Las Vegas Stars, who lost for the 12th time in 14 games with an 11-6 defeat to the Salt Lake Buzz.

Thursday's loss marked the sixth time in the past nine games that Stars pitching has allowed 10 or more runs in a game. Las Vegas has been outscored 106-41 during that span.

The culprits this time were right-hander Jim Bruske, who had been one of the Stars' most effective starters since he joined the rotation last month, and reliever Jamie Daspit. Bruske allowed seven runs on nine hits in five innings and Daspit surrendered four runs in an inning and a third.

Bruske (5-4) left with the Stars trailing 7-2, but Jim Tatum's three-run home run in the sixth pulled Las Vegas to within two runs of the buzz, 7-5.

Daspit shut down the Buzz in the sixth, but allowed four runs on four hits in the seventh as Salt Lake put the game out of reach.

Ray Brown also homered for the Stars, belting a solo shot in the third.

Catcher Eric Helfand was the only Stars player not to have a hit and saw his 10-game hitting streak come to an end. Shortstop Jorge Velandia had a single and a double and extended his hitting streak to six games.

The series continues tonight at 6 with the Stars' Marino Castillo facing Salt Lake's LaTroy Hawkins.