Buzz sting Stars in 5-inning game

Wednesday, June 10, 1998 | 10:47 a.m.

SALT LAKE CITY --- Excuse Las Vegas Stars pitcher Heath Murray if he doesn't care to see Chad Rupp again very soon.

There's a very good reason.

Murray started for the second time this year against the Salt Lake Buzz on Tuesday night at Franklin Quest Stadium. And for the second straight time he left the game without getting Rupp out.

Rupp had a three-run homer in the third inning and added an RBI double in the fourth to lead Salt Lake (30-24) to its sixth straight victory, 7-1, in a game called after five innings due to rain.

Rupp is 6-for-6 against Murray this year with three doubles, a home run and five RBIs.

An unusually wild Murray (4-4) walked seven and gave up five hits and six earned runs in just four innings. Meanwhile, Salt Lake starter Shane Bowers (3-4) picked up his second victory in a week over the Stars by allowing just two hits, including Dusty Allen's third home run of the season, and striking out six in five innings on the mound.

The good news for the Stars (28-28), who have struggled offensively the past month, is that help is on the way.

The San Diego Padres on Tuesday signed veteran outfielder Mike Devereaux to a minor league contract and assigned him to Las Vegas. The 35-year-old Devereaux has a career major league average of .254 in 12 big league seasons, including a .308 average in nine games with the Dodgers earlier this season.

Devereaux recently was designated for assignment by the Dodgers and elected to become a free agent instead of accepting a triple-A demotion to Albuquerque. He is expected to join the Stars on Saturday in Oklahoma City for their game against the Oklahoma Red Hawks.

It was a busy day off the field for the Stars. As expected, the Padres traded veteran left-hander Pete Smith for minor league right-hander Eric Estes (5-2, 4.38 at double-A Bowie, Md.) and assigned Estes to double-A Mobile. The Padres then called up Las Vegas left-handed reliever Roberto Ramirez to fill Smith's spot on the roster.

Reliever Will Cunnane, who had been on a 30-day injury rehab assignment at Las Vegas, was recalled by the Padres and then officially assigned to the Stars.

The expected demotion of outfielder Ruben Rivera to Las Vegas was postponed because of a calf injury suffered by San Diego outfielder Tony Gwynn on Monday night. Gwynn could be sidelined for up to a week.