Berumen beats old pals at Cashman

Thursday, June 26, 1997 | 11:48 a.m.

If Andres Berumen had pitched like this while he was with the Las Vegas Stars, the parent San Diego Padres might never have traded the right-hander.

Then again, Berumen rarely got offensive support the likes of which he received Wednesday night from his Tacoma Rainiers teammates. Berumen turned in his third solid start since the June 10 trade that sent him to Tacoma and the Rainiers pounded out 18 hits in defeating the Stars 14-9 at Cashman Field.

Berumen allowed only one run on three hits through 6 1/3 innings, but was charged with two more runs when Tacoma reliever Trey Witte gave up a grand slam to Stars catcher Eric Helfand in the seventh inning. Berumen walked four and struck out eight and improved to 4-0.

Although he was making his first start against his former teammates at Cashman Field, Berumen had also faced the Stars 12 days ago in Tacoma and said Wednesday night's start was nothing special.

"It's just another game, I guess," said Berumen, who was traded for pitcher Paul Menhart. "You have to look at it that way. I was going up against (Rafael) Medina and he had two good outings -- at Rancho and then here.

"I'm just breaking in as a starter again and it's been a little shaky for me, I've been a little nervous. I guess today I had good stuff and I just (had) to go out there and do it and not be nervous."

Berumen showed little signs of nerves as he mowed through the Stars lineup with only one hitch through six innings. In the third, he gave up a leadoff single to Juan Melo, a walk to Steve Scarsone and, with two outs and runners at the corners, balked Melo home.

After the walk to Scarsone, Berumen retired 12 of the next 13 batters and took a three-hitter into the seventh inning. He opened the seventh by walking the first two batters and, after striking out Stoney Briggs, was relieved by Witte.

"I hate walks, I really hate walks," Berumen said. "Those last two in the seventh inning hurt me, in a sense, because I'm really hard on myself. My work, I want it to be as perfect as I can."

He has come close to that with the Rainiers. After posting a 2-0 record with a 5.45 earned-run average in 18 games with the Stars, Berumen is 2-0 with a 3.12 ERA in four games with Tacoma.

After spending 4 1/2 years in the Padres' organization primarily as a starter, Berumen said the trade and his switch to a starting role may have breathed some life into what had become a stagnant career.

"Being in the big leagues most of 1995 with (only) a fastball, that was frustrating after knowing I needed my other pitches to stay in the big leagues," Berumen said. "I tried to work on it in '96 and even this year I'm still working on both my changeup and my breaking ball to get back there."

Now that he is in the Seattle Mariners organization, Berumen said he doesn't believe his chances of getting back to the major leagues are any better or worse than they were with the Padres.

"I think if you do your job, regardless if you're over there or here, you can get to the big leagues," Berumen said. "But being in the bullpen with Marc Kroon, Joey Long -- all of those guys that are back and forth between the big leagues -- is kind of tough.

"I think here, they have great arms, but maybe I needed a change myself -- not only from a different organization, but maybe as a starter. I think I just needed a little change."

Wednesday's victory was Berumen's second against Las Vegas since the trade, a fact that was not lost on Stars manager Jerry Royster.

"Andres threw great," Royster said. "He has thrown great his last five times out -- unfortunately, only two of them were for us."