Allen keys Stars in rout of Zephyrs

Steve Guiremand

Monday, April 17, 2000 | 10:07 a.m.

Dusty Allen's left thumb is still sore, but you certainly would have a hard time telling it.

The Las Vegas Stars' outfielder hit a towering three-run home run and a double in Sunday afternoon's 13-1 thumping of the New Orleans Zephyrs on Sunday afternoon at Cashman Field. In two games so far in 2000, the 1999 PCL all-star is 4-for-9 with two home runs and five RBIs.

Not bad for a guy who didn't even take batting practice for almost a month prior to last weekend's trip to Calgary.

Allen suffered a badly bruised left thumb in the middle of spring training. While trying to backhand a hard-hit one-hopper, the ball bounced erratically and hit an exposed part of his hand at the top of the thumb.

Three different sets of X-rays of the thumb came back negative, but Allen still has pain in the area over a month later.

"It's sore," Allen said. "I think it gets more fatigued than anything else just because I haven't used it in so long. But I'm just going to continue to do my rehab and try to keep playing."

As for his fast start, Allen admits even he is surprised.

"Definitely," he said. "I'm swinging the bat better than I can expect after sitting out so long. I'm definitely exceeding what I could have hoped for, but it's a pleasant surprise."

"He's come back with a vengeance," Stars manager Duane Espy said.

Both Espy and Allen agree one reason for the success is a more aggressive batting philosophy.

Allen, who hit just .273 in 1999 with 18 home runs, slumped badly during the middle of the 1999 season before going on a .469 tear (15-for-32) in an eight-game stretch near the end of the season. He believes he had become too passive at the plate.

"I was taking too many pitches," Allen, who had 79 walks, said. "Last year there would be stretches where I wasn't feeling my swing and I wasn't comfortable in the box. Before I knew it, I'd be 0-2 and I hadn't even swung the bat yet."

Such was not the case on Sunday.

"My first two at-bats, I swung at every pitch I saw," Allen said. "I want to be a little more aggressive up there."

"He's being probably as aggressive as I've ever seen him at the plate," Espy said. "I think this start is a reflection of what this guy can do when he's aggressive and swinging the bat."

* DOUBLE TROUBLE: With six more doubles in Sunday's win, the Stars have now amassed an amazing 30 two-baggers in just seven games this season.

"We can hit some doubles," Espy said. "We can do that."

How does Espy explain his team's penchant for doubles?

"I think we have a lot of guys in this lineup who have some pop and extra-base power," Espy said. "When you have a lineup full of those kind of hitters, this is what can happen when you swing the bats well."

* GAME RECAP: The hot-hitting Stars (4-3) collected 14 more hits, including home runs by shortstop Ralph Milliard, left fielder Dusty Allen and third baseman Greg LaRocca, to back another solid starting performance by Stan Spencer (2-0) en route to a 13-1 victory over New Orleans on Sunday afternoon at Cashman Field.

* UP NEXT: The Stars conclude their four-game series with New Orleans with a 7:05 game tonight at Cashman Field. Right-hander Brian Tollberg (0-0, 15.00 ERA) opposes Zephyrs' right-hander Travis Miller (0-0, 5.73). Las Vegas then opens a four-game series with the Salt Lake Buzz on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. at Cashman Field.