Stars drop a wild one in 18

Tuesday, June 6, 2000 | 9:44 a.m.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Just call him "Cy" Perez.

Memphis third baseman Eduardo Perez, the son of former major league star Tony Perez, is known more for his hitting exploits as an infielder for the Memphis Redbirds. But pressed into emergency pitching duty on Monday night, Perez showed he isn't too shabby as a hurler, too.

Perez pitched two scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win as the Memphis Redbirds pulled out an 18-inning, five-hour and 38-minute marathon over the Stars, 6-5, at AutoZone Park.

Rightfielder Chris Richard drove in catcher Keith McDonald, who had doubled, with the game-winning run against the Stars' John Curl, an outfielder who was also pressed into emergency pitching duty when Las Vegas (33-22) ran out of pitchers.

Both teams blew numerous chances to win the game earlier in the night -- especially the Stars.

Memphis (37-21) was coming off a 15-inning 2-1 loss at New Orleans on Sunday night and ran out of available pitchers at the start of the 17th with the score still tied, 4-4.

Redbirds manager Gaylen Pitts then brought in outfielder Steve Bieser to pitch. Bieser responded by walking John Roskos and Ryan Radmanovich.

Pitts then switched to Perez, whose fastball was clocked at 81 mph. After Ralph Milliard sacrificed the runners along, Perez intentionally walked catcher Ben Davis to load the bases.

That strategy backfired when Perez walked Greg LaRocca on a 3-2 pitch to force across the go-ahead run, 5-4. But the Stars failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity to blow the game open after that, as shortstop Kevin Nicholson followed with a popout to shallow left and Curl struck out swinging to end the inning.

Domingo Guzman, the sixth "legitimate" Las Vegas pitcher in the game, walked Lou Lucca and Richard to open the bottom of the 17th. After Perez struck out, first baseman Larry Sutton lined a single to left-center to tie the game again, 5-5.

Guzman then walked Ernie Young, the PCL's home run leader, to load the bases. That move paid off when Jim Doherty, a relief pitcher who was moved to left field because the Redbirds ran out of subs, grounded into a 4-2-3 double play to end the threat.

Perez then came back to blank the Stars in the 18th, allowing just a one-out walk to Mike Darr. But Perez then got Roskos and Radmanovich to fly out to end the inning.

Stars manager Tony Franklin then turned to Curl in the bottom of the 18th. After shortstop Luis Garcia grounded out, McDonald drove a ground-rule double over the center-field fence.

Bieser was intentionally walked and Lucca loaded the bases with an infield single. That brought up Richard, the PCL leader in RBIs (55), who drove in the winning run with a long flyout to Darr in center.

The game came within one inning of matching the Stars' record for the longest game in club history. Las Vegas played a 19-inning game against Tacoma in 1989.

Memphis, which had to endure a six-hour bus ride home from New Orleans after Sunday night's game, ended up playing 33 innings in about 30 hours.

The teams resume their series today at 5:05 p.m.