Allen’s homer boosts Stars

Tuesday, June 1, 1999 | 9:58 a.m.

ALBUQUERQUE -- Memorial Day was definitely a day to remember for a couple Las Vegas Stars.

Leftfielder Dusty Allen drove in four runs, including three on a mammoth 450-foot home run in the fifth inning, and recent double-A call-up Jake Thrower banged out three more hits as the Stars (26-25) held on to defeat the Albuquerque Dukes, 6-5, at Sports Stadium.

Allen also singled in a run in the first inning. Center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. and catcher Ben Davis also had RBI singles in the contest.

Allen's towering three-run drive in the fifth inning landed in a parking lot above a picnic area beyond the left-field fence and gave the Stars and starter Buddy Carlyle (6-2), who retired the first 11 batters he faced, a 6-2 lead.

But Albuquerque (23-28) took advantage of two Las Vegas errors in the sixth inning, including a dropped fly ball by rightfielder Aaron Guiel, to score three unearned runs and cut the Stars' lead to 6-5.

However, Las Vegas relievers Brandon Kolb and Will Cunnane (seventh save) combined to blank the Dukes over the final 3 1/3 innings on just one hit.

Thrower, called up from double-A Mobile last week when the Stars encountered a rash of infield injuries, continued to make a strong bid to remain in triple-A with three singles and a stolen base in five at-bats. He now has 13 hits in his last 25 at-bats (.520) with the Stars.

The two teams continue their series tonight at 6.