Stars suspend Andujar

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, May 4, 2000 | 10:43 a.m.

Pitcher Luis Andujar has apparently played his final game with the Las Vegas Stars.

Andujar, who had compiled a 2-1 record and 6.46 ERA was tied for the team lead in appearances with 10. He was suspended before Wednesday night's game against the Tucson Sidewinders at Cashman Field.

"To be quite honest, he expressed his wishes not to pitch here any longer and we decided to oblige him," Stars manager Duane Espy said.

Is there any chance that the 27-year-old Andujar, who played parts of four major league seasons with the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, could return to Las Vegas this season?

"That part of it I don't know," Espy said.

Lanky right-hander Eric Moody, who had been on the disabled list with a hamstring pull, was activated before the game and took Andujar's spot on the 24-man roster. He pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Stars on Wednesday night.

* RUBEN RETURNS: Outfielder Ruben Rivera, who didn't exactly tear up the PCL during his last stint with the Stars in 1998 when he hit just .144 with 42 strikeouts in 104 at-bats, went 0-for-5 in the first of his two-game injury rehab assignment in Las Vegas.

Rivera struck out twice and hit just one ball out of the infield. But the 26-year-old center fielder was just glad to be back playing after missing 20 games in San Diego with a puzzling case of reactive arthritis. He is expected to rejoin the Padres in time for Friday night's game against Randy Johnson and the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.

"It was really hard because I couldn't play or do anything," Rivera said of the illness, which caused extreme soreness in his left wrist and right ankle. "I wanted to play and help my team and teammates."

It took the Padres almost two weeks before they could come up with a diagnosis of Rivera's ailment.

"I feel good today," Rivera said before Wednesday night's game. "I'll be here a couple of days and then go to Phoenix. I know everything is going to be OK now."

Rivera had taken batting practice just twice in the last three weeks before Wednesday night. He hadn't faced live pitching since April 7 in Montreal.

"He took terrific batting practice today and swung the bat well," Espy said. "It's obvious to me that his timing was off, but that's to be expected. I would hope after getting that many at-bats (Wednesday night) and four more (tonight) that he could find his stroke."

The Padres have a day off today and both general manager Kevin Towers and manager Bruce Bochy are expected to attend tonight's game to get a firsthand look at Rivera's progress.

* DAVIS SITS OUT: Starting catcher Ben Davis, who left Tuesday night's game with back spasms, sat out Wednesday night's victory.

"He's a little bit better," Espy said. "We'll wait a few days and see how his back responds."

* GAME RECAP: Right-hander Brian Tollberg upped his record to 2-0 and extended his scoreless inning streak to 23 1/3 innings before finally surrendering a run in the seventh inning on Wednesday night as the Las Vegas Stars cruised to a 13-1 victory over the Tucson Sidewinders at Cashman Field.

Rightfielder Mike Darr and catcher George Williams both hit three-run homers during a seven-run fourth inning for the Stars (15-8).

* UP NEXT: Game 3 of the four-game series with Tucson is tonight at 7:05 at Cashman Field. Right-hander Will Cunnane (0-0, 0.00), sent down earlier in the week by the San Diego Padres, is scheduled to start for Las Vegas against Tucson right-hander Erik Sabel (0-1, 4.50). The series and the homestand concludes at 7:05 p.m. on Friday night with right-hander Junior Herndon (3-1, 4.24) opposing Sidewinder right-hander John Patterson (0-1, 6.10).