Stars ground Sky Sox

Thursday, May 27, 1999 | 9:56 a.m.

COLORADO SPRINGS -- Not even a 4:30 a.m. wakeup call and a 6:30 a.m. flight to Colorado Springs could cool down the suddenly sizzling bats of the Las Vegas Stars.

The Stars (24-22), who had hit eight home runs in their two games before Wednesday night's contest here, had their biggest inning of the season, sending up 13 batters in an eight-run second inning en route to an 8-0 blanking of the Sky Sox.

Every Las Vegas player reached base during the inning, which was capped by a two-run homer down the right-field line by center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. Leftfielder Dusty Allen added a two-run double and third baseman Frank Charles came through with a two-run single.

That was more than enough offense for Las Vegas starter Buddy Carlyle (5-2), who scattered six hits over eight scoreless innings before giving way to Carlos Almanzar, who struck out the side in the ninth.

Carlyle has now thrown 15 shutout innings in his two games against Colorado Springs (22-24) this year.

The series continues tonight at 6:05 p.m. with Shane Dennis (1-2, 3.63) starting for Las Vegas against Jamey Wright (0-2, 5.76).

* STARS NOTES: Second baseman David Newhan, who hit six home runs in a six-game span last week, sat out the game with a sore ankle suffered in a collision with outfielder Aaron Guiel on Tuesday night. ... Guiel reached base all five times Wednesday night, doubling twice and walking three times.