Padres decide to take longer look at Lopez

Steve Guiremand

Monday, May 1, 2000 | 10:04 a.m.

Las Vegas Stars manager Duane Espy already had Rodrigo Lopez penciled in to start Saturday night's series opener at Tacoma.

One problem. The San Diego Padres plan on starting the 24-year-old right-hander on Saturday night at Arizona.

The Padres, who had planned to send Lopez back to Las Vegas on Sunday after activating third baseman Dave Magadan from the disabled list, instead decided to let Lopez make another big league start after his brilliant major league debut on Saturday night against the Atlanta Braves.

Lopez allowed just four hits and one run in seven innings against the red-hot Braves and struck out the side in his final inning, leaving with a 4-1 lead. However, the Padres' bullpen melted down after his departure and Atlanta went on to pull out a 7-4 victory in 12 innings on Andruw Jones' three-run homer.

The Padres elected to keep Lopez on Sunday after a spot opened on their roster when outfielder Tony Gwynn was put on the disabled list with what is becoming a chronic knee problem.

"It's a tremendous feather in his cap," Espy said. "He didn't only go up to the big leagues. He pitched well against the hottest team in baseball right now, the Atlanta Braves. He did an outstanding job. We're all thrilled for him."

Lopez had a 0-0 record with a glossy 3.50 ERA in three starts with the Stars, striking out 18 batters in 18 innings. The native of Tlalnepantla, Mexico, who pitched for the Mexico City Red Devils in 1998, had compiled just a ho-hum 10-8 record at double-A Mobile in 1999.

But after his quick start this season, Lopez has bypassed Buddy Carlyle and Stan Spencer for the title of the Padres' top triple-A pitching prospect.

San Diego manager Bruce Bochy compared Lopez's delivery and demeanor to that of four-time Cy Young Award winner and Las Vegas native Greg Maddux.

And Padres general manager Kevin Towers also had high praise for the 6-1, 180-pounder.

"He's deceptive," Towers told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "He's sneaky. Sneaky quick. He's never really had a bad year for us in the minors. He's never really had a great year, just consistent."

* RIVERA TO RETURN: Ex-Star Ruben Rivera, sidelined for almost three weeks for the Padres with a mysterious virus, is expected to begin an injury rehab assignment sometime this week.

No word yet if that rehab will take place in Las Vegas.

* ESPY TOSSED: Espy was ejected for the first time this season in the ninth inning Sunday for arguing balls and strikes with plate umpire Patrick Spieler.

Spieler had ejected reliever Matt Whiteside earlier in the inning for the same offense.

* STEAK SNAPPED: Stars reliever Matt Whiteside came within one out of going the entire month of April without allowing a run.

The 32-year-old right-hander came into Sunday's 8-7 loss to Calgary having allowed just two hits and five walks while striking out 10 in 8 2/3 innings. He ran that scoreless streak to an even 10 innings before Manny Martinez's bases-loaded sacrifice fly drove in chunky Cannons first baseman Matt Raleigh -- who opened the ninth with a long double off the fence in right-center -- for what proved to be the game-winning run.

* LATE SCRATCH: Reid Cornelius, who was scheduled to start Sunday's game for Calgary, was replaced on the mound by Mike Drumright.

Cornelius was attending his sister's wedding.

* GAME RECAP: The Stars (13-8) lost for only the second time in their last 10 games to Calgary (8-16) before an announced crowd of 3,068 at Cashman Field.

Las Vegas trailed 7-1 entering the bottom of the sixth but rallied to tie the game, 7-7, on Mike Darr's two-run single in the bottom of the eighth, before Calgary's final charge.

The win snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Cannons.

* UP NEXT: The Stars have today off before opening a four-game series with the Tucson Sidewinders on Tuesday night at Cashman Field (7:05). Carlyle (0-1, 6.45 ERA) is scheduled to start for Las Vegas.