Reeling Stars suffer season’s 1st shutout

Spencer Patterson

Friday, July 2, 1999 | 9:40 a.m.

While their parent club continues to soar, the Las Vegas Stars continue to struggle mightily.

Just hours after the San Diego Padres racked up their 13th straight win Thursday, the Stars dropped their 18th decision in their last 23 games, 5-0 to visiting Fresno.

Worse yet for the locals, Thursday's loss marked a new low for Las Vegas -- the first time this season the club has been shut out.

Lefty Aaron Fultz and reliever Steve Connelly combined for a three-hit gem, allowing just five Stars to reach base in the contest.

"They scored some runs early, and then I basically thought we kind of packed it in after that," Stars manager Mike Ramsey said. "That's something I'll have to address."

Fultz, who wasn't scheduled to start for the Grizzlies (42-37), got the call when right-hander Steve Soderstrom remained with his wife, Tami, in California after she gave birth to the couple's first child Wednesday.

"I expected to go into the game as a reliever," said Fultz, a spot starter for Fresno this season. "But I had an idea I might start since Soderstrom had his baby."

Fultz (5-4) was sizzling from the outset, retiring 17 of the 20 batters he faced in six innings of work. After the game, he was told he'd hit 94 miles-per-hour on the radar gun -- a first for his career.

"I made some good pitches early and they swung at a lot of first pitches," Fultz said. "Not until the fourth or fifth inning did I throw any sliders or change-ups."

Connelly picked up right where Fultz left off, allowing just one hit and one walk in three innings for his second save of the year.

Fresno's pitchers got all the support they would need in the first three innings, as the Grizzlies got to Las Vegas (36-44) starter Al Drumheller (0-2) for seven hits and all five of their runs during that span.

For the second night in a row, all nine Fresno starters finished with at least one hit, with Calvin Murray, Edwards Guzman and Ramon Martinez -- the top of the Grizzlies' order -- combining for six hits, three RBIs and three runs scored.

* SO FAR, SO GOOD: In his first Stars appearance this season, right-hander Pete Smith worked a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit and striking out one batter.

According to Ramsey, Smith could find himself in the starting rotation as soon as this weekend, depending whether Padres' pitcher Dan Miceli needs to go on the disabled list. If that happens, a Las Vegas pitcher is likely to get called up, opening the door for Smith.

* UP NEXT: The Stars and Grizzlies will hook up for game three of the four-game set tonight at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Buddy Carlyle (7-3, 4.42 ERA) is slated to take the mound for the hosts against Fresno right-hander Jason Grilli (5-4, 4.90). The two teams will complete their series Saturday at 7:05 p.m., with Las Vegas right-hander Matt Whiteside (6-5, 5.58) scheduled to face right-hander Bronswell Patrick (8-6, 5.01). Both games will be followed by fireworks shows.