Stars’ latest loss can’t dim Ramsey’s outlook

Monday, July 19, 1999 | 10:22 a.m.

As incredible as it may sound, Las Vegas Stars manager Mike Ramsey said he doesn't believe the dog days of August will bite his players.

Despite losing 22 of 28 games leading into last week's All-Star break and sporting a 41-52 record following Sunday's 9-7 loss to Oklahoma, the Stars are not out of the hunt for the division title, Ramsey said.

"Hey, I'm always optimistic," Ramsey said. "Maybe I'm overly optimistic, I don't know, but that's just the way I am."

The Stars have lost 25 of their past 34 games, including 20 of 25 at Cashman Field, and stand eight games out of first place in the Pacific Coast League's South division with 48 games remaining.

That's not an insurmountable task, Ramsey said, if the Stars can continue the improvement they have shown the past week.

"We have to consider ourselves in some kind of race," Ramsey said. "We're only eight (games) back and we've still got some things to play for.

"We hope that the last six weeks will be good, but we have to put together a good streak. We can't even afford to play .500 ball -- we have to win seven or eight out of 10 from here on out. If we do that, I think we'll be looking pretty good."

Ramsey said when he sensed some of his players were going through the motions last month, he called a "short" team meeting. Since the week before the All-Star break, Ramsey said he has not questioned his players' effort.

"For the last two weeks, (the effort) has been better and at least we're giving ourselves a chance to stay in ball games instead of getting blown out early or giving up double digits (in runs)," Ramsey said.

"I told them, the worst thing you can ever do is go through the motions. For the most part, they've been given a good effort. We didn't roll over (Sunday) and that was a real good sign."

The Stars' effort was not in question Sunday, when they fell behind 8-1 but rallied for five runs in the seventh to get to within two runs of the Redhawks.

"We battled pretty hard and we have to keep that up," Ramsey said. "If we keep battling like we did (Sunday), we'll win some games."

* STATUS QUO: The Stars were expecting to get a player from the parent San Diego Padres over the weekend after Tony Gwynn was removed from the disabled list, but the Padres' outfielder continues to be hampered by a calf injury.

Gwynn was due to come off the DL on Thursday, but reaggravated the injury Thursday night while doing light sprints prior to a game at Seattle. Heath Murray had already been told he would be returning to Las Vegas to make room on the roster for Gwynn, but remains with the Padres while Gwynn recuperates from his latest setback.

* CHANGES COMING: Although it is uncertain when Gwynn will come off the Padres' DL, Stars manager Mike Ramsey said the Stars will pick up a player from San Diego on Friday, when Padres shortstop Chris Gomez is due to return to the parent club.

Gomez, who began a rehabilitation assignment with the Stars on Thursday, is scheduled to rejoin the Padres following the Stars' four-game series at Memphis, which ends Thursday night.

Ramsey also said that outfielder Dusty Allen (sprained left knee) will be eligible to come off the Stars' disabled list next weekend.

* ATTENDANCE REPORT: The Stars surpassed the 250,000-mark in attendance this season with Sunday's crowd of 2,522.

The Stars have drawn 251,072 fans for 50 home dates for an average of 5,021 fans per date.

* GAME RECAP: Stars starter Al Drumheller (1-4) was roughed up for four runs on four hits in the first inning and the Stars trailed 8-1 after five innings before their offense sprang to life.

Las Vegas rallied for five runs in the seventh, highlighted by Mike Darr's two-run double to left-center, and trimmed the Redhawks' lead to 8-6.

Oklahoma added a run in the eighth off reliever Brendan Sullivan, but Las Vegas mounted a threat in the bottom of the eighth. The Stars used three straight singles to push across a run and close to 9-7. With runners on second and third and one out, Rico Rossy and Darr struck out to end the threat.

The Stars had five doubles, but stranded five runners in scoring position.

* UP NEXT: The Stars begin an eight-game road trip today, with stops in Memphis and Nashville. The Stars return to Cashman Field on July 27.