Orosco shines, but 51s lose

Steve Guiremand

Monday, April 30, 2001 | 10:02 a.m.

What are the odds?

Former major league star and Las Vegas resident Marty Barrett is helping do color commentary on Sunday home games for the Las Vegas 51s this season. And who should come in from the bullpen for Las Vegas in the eighth inning of Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Trappers but none other than Jesse Orosco.

It was Orosco who struck out Barrett for the final out in the 1986 World Series as the New York Mets defeated the Boston Red Sox in seven games, a series that most people remember more for Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner's famous error in Game 6.

Orosco, meanwhile, made the cover of Sports Illustrated after throwing his glove in the air in celebration following the strikeout of Barrett, who hit a record .430 in the series.

"It's hard to believe that he's still pitching now," Barrett said of the 44-year-old Orosco. "I think he was 29 or so then and here it is (15 years) later and he's still out there on the hill.

"He's always been a nasty pitcher, especially on left-handed hitters. And in today's game where you have so many good left-handed hitters, you can always use a lefty like Jesse to come in and get that one hitter. He's still got it and he's still valuable."

Orosco, who struck out the only batter he faced on four pitches in his Las Vegas debut on Friday night, put on a clinic on Sunday.

After catcher Matt LeCroy started the Edmonton eighth by reaching on third baseman Keith Johnson's error, Orosco replaced Las Vegas reliever Mark Kiefer.

Orosco then induced Trappers' DH Jose Valentin to hit a weak grounder to second for an easy 4-6-3 double play. He followed that up by striking out first baseman Todd Sears.

Orosco has now pitched 1 1/3 innings for the 51s and needed just 11 pitches to strike out two and get a double play grounder. Not bad.

"Vintage," Barrett said. "He was smart. He got the ground ball for the double play and then faced a lefty and made him look really silly up there with a good sidearm slider. I was actually shocked. He's 44 and he had good pop on his ball and good bite on his breaking ball. I think we'll probably be seeing him in L.A. at some point."

How soon?

"He looks good," 51s pitching coach Dean Tearnor said. "He looks strong. I don't want to put a time frame on it, but I don't think it will be long."

Early forecasts are for temperatures in the 40s on Tuesday night for the series opener. However, things should warm up to the mid-60s by the end of the week.

"It was my fault," Riggleman said. "I was standing there talking to Glenn, so it wasn't like I didn't know he was there, and I reached down to pick up a ball."

Riggleman caught Hoffman's backswing on the nose. After emergency surgery that night, Riggleman was back in uniform on Friday.