Darr’s homer gives Stars win

Tuesday, May 9, 2000 | 9:37 a.m.

TACOMA -- Another night, another come-from-behind victory for the red-hot Las Vegas Stars.

Despite managing just three hits over the first nine innings, the Stars (19-9), thanks to center fielder Mike Darr's two-run homer in the 10th inning, won for the 10th time in their last 12 games, 4-2, over the Tacoma Rainiers on Monday night at chilly Cheney Stadium.

Tacoma starter Scott Atchison, making his first triple-A start, threw 4 2/3 perfect innings and held Las Vegas to just one hit before departing after five innings.

The Rainiers held a 2-0 lead going into the sixth thanks to a two-run single by shortstop Carlos Hernandez off Las Vegas starter Brian Tollberg. The Stars cut the deficit to 2-1 on Darr's bases-loaded sacrifice fly that drove in shortstop Kevin Nicholson.

Las Vegas then tied the contest, 2-2, in the eighth on Dusty Allen's two-out RBI single to center on the first pitch by Tacoma reliever Sean Spencer.

The score remained tied until the 10th when third baseman Greg LaRocca blooped a single to center, was sacrificed to second by Ralph Milliard and scored one out later on Darr's third home run of the season.

Matt Whiteside (1-2), who pitched two perfect innings in relief of Tollberg, picked up his first victory of the season while Brandon Kolb pitched a 1-2-3 10th to notch his Pacific Coast League-leading eighth save.

* STARS NOTES: Nicholson was forced to leave the game in the bottom of the seventh after Tacoma outfielder Anthony Sanders' hard one-hopper hit him in the face. Nicholson walked off the field under his own power. ... San Diego Padres GM Kevin Towers attended the contest and will also watch the Stars the next three nights. ... Tollberg's 10 strikeouts were a season-high. ... Atchison, recalled from extended spring training by the Mariners, was just 4-5 at Class A Wisconsin last year. He struck out the first four batters he faced.