Kiefer throws 1-hitter

Victoria Sun

Monday, July 23, 2001 | 10:31 a.m.

The 51s scored once in the first inning and once in the second, and Mark Kiefer tossed a one-hitter, striking out 14, to beat New Orleans on Sunday at Cashman Field. Jeff Barry hit his 11th home run of the year for the 51s, driving a 1-2 pitch from Brian Powell over the right-field wall.

If only the 51s could start right-hander Mark Kiefer more often.

Las Vegas entered Sunday afternoon's game against New Orleans ranked second to last in the Pacific Coast League with a 5.18 team ERA, while New Orleans was second in the league at 3.45.

But it was Kiefer, not New Orleans ace Brian Powell, who earned a standing ovation before the game was over.

Kiefer retired 22 consecutive batters and threw a one-hit complete game shutout for a 2-0 victory over the Zephyrs before an announced crowd of 2,668 at Cashman Field. The 51s improved to 48-54 while New Orleans fell to 62-37.

"I wanted it pretty bad," Kiefer said of the complete game. "It's been a long time.

"In Taiwan I had a lot, but it's been a long time here in the States since I've had one. It feels great. It's an awesome feeling."

Kiefer picked an opportune time to put on a show.

Because he pitched in Taiwan the last four years, his mother, Mary, wasn't able to watch him play.

For Sunday's game Mary drove from Garden Grove, Calif., to see her son strike out a season-high 14 batters.

"It was a great night," Kiefer said. "My sister came in town and a bunch of neighbors. I had like 17 tickets today.

"It was real exciting for them all to be here. This is also the first time my wife (Monica) got to see me pitch because she was home in Texas."

Kiefer's 14 strikeouts tied a team record set by Donnie Elliot (1993) and Ray Hayward (1987). He struck out the side in the seventh inning and struck out four of the last seven batters.

"My fastball had a lot of movement," Kiefer said. "It got me ahead in the count and once I got ahead in the count I had great off-speed (stuff) for the strikeouts."

"(Catcher Geronimo) Gil was phenomenal."

Kiefer enjoyed similar success on July 17 when he allowed no runs in 7 2/3 innings against Oklahoma.

The 51s used him as a reliever early in the year before allowing him to start in May. In relief Kiefer is 1-4 with a 7.03 ERA, but he's 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA (before Sunday's game) as a starter.

"Kief has worked his tail off and been in almost every role except the closer role on the staff," 51s manager Rick Sofield said. "His last six or seven starts have just been eye-popping numbers. Today was just as good a performance as I've ever seen. I couldn't be any happier or prouder of a guy."

Kiefer credits 51s pitching coach Dean Treanor with helping him improve.

"Me and Dean Treanor have been working on my mechanics all year," Kiefer said. "I would say probably the last two months it's slowly clicked, slowly gotten better and better.

"He's helped me tremendously get back my mechanics."

Kiefer surrendered his only hit to New Orleans left fielder Omar Ramirez in the second inning.

"I didn't even think about it," Kiefer said. "I made a bad pitch and I was pretty much lucky it wasn't a single because it could have been a double off the wall or something."