Hermansen leads Sounds past Stars

Friday, June 2, 2000 | 10:18 a.m.

NASHVILLE --- Tony Franklin will have to wait at least another day to pick up his first triple-A managing victory. And the new Las Vegas Stars manager can thank Las Vegas product Chad Hermansen for the delay.

Hermansen, the former Green Valley High School star who was a former No. 1 draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates, hit a long home run over the left field fence off Stars' reliever Carlos Reyes with one out in the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie and help lead the Nashville Sounds to a 3-2 victory over Las Vegas on Thursday night at Greer Stadium.

It was the second home run in just seven games with the Sounds for Hermansen, who began the year as a starting outfielder with the Pirates but was sent down a week ago because he was hitting just .181 in the big leagues.

The win was the 11th in the past 13 games for Nashville (28-25).

The Sounds picked up what turned out to be the game-winning run in the eighth inning when left fielder Emil Brown led off with a walk off Las Vegas reliever Brandon Sullivan and then promptly stole his 19th base of the year.

Brown then advanced to third on a groundout and scored on catcher Craig Wilson's sacrifice fly to up Nashville's lead to 3-1.

The Stars (30-21), who didn't arrive in Nashville until 2:15 p.m. after taking a 6 a.m. flight from Las Vegas to Denver and then connecting to Nashville, came back to cut the deficit to 3-2 on Joe Vitiello's RBI single in the ninth and later had the tying run at second base. But Sounds' relief ace Cory Bailey struck out Greg LaRocca to end the game and pick up his ninth save.

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