Durocher finding his niche as Stars closer

Spencer Patterson

Monday, Aug. 21, 2000 | 10:07 a.m.

Though he's picked up the odd save here and there throughout his eight-year professional career, Jayson Durocher never really considered himself a closer before this month.

A starter for his first five seasons and a middle reliever since 1998, the 6-foot-3 right-hander began the 2000 season as a setup man for Stars closer Brandon Kolb, the team leader with 16 saves.

But after spending part of the summer with double-A Mobile, Durocher returned to Las Vegas in early August. And this time, the 26-year-old learned that the Padres wanted to see what he could do in the final inning of tight games.

Durocher stumbled in his first save attempt, but has rebounded since, reeling off seven consecutive saves -- including a perfect seventh inning in a 2-0 victory over Edmonton Sunday in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Cashman Field.

"It's a different mind-set," Durocher said. "You come in at the end and there's less room for error. I haven't changed my pitch selection, but I try to be more consistent and throw less pitches down the middle of the plate."

Durocher nearly got the opportunity to try for two saves in a night on Sunday. But with their closer warming up in the bullpen, the Stars were unable to rally in Game 2, falling 2-1 to the Trappers.

"I've never thrown in both games of a doubleheader, so I was looking forward to it," Durocher said.

In the first game, the Stars got 5 2/3 shutout innings from starter Junior Herndon (10-9). The right-hander held the visitors to three hits, while striking out four and walking no one.

Matt Whiteside got Las Vegas out of a jam in the sixth before giving way to Durocher, who induced Dwayne Hosey to ground into a Ralph Milliard-to-Gabe Alvarez double play to end the Trappers' final threat.

Alvarez also provided some offensive punch for the hosts, belting his fifth home run in the fourth inning and extending his hitting streak to nine games.

Greg LaRocca knocked in the only other run in a game that lasted just 1 hour, 51 minutes.

The nightcap took just 10 minutes longer, as Edmonton scored in the first and second innings and held on from there. Las Vegas left 14 runners on base, including three over the final two innings.

Right-hander Domingo Guzman pitched effectively for the Stars, yielding four hits and striking out three in his four innings, but took the loss to fall to 3-5 on the season.

Four Trappers pitchers combined to hold the Stars to five hits, with Eric Weaver striking out two batters in the seventh for his ninth save.