51s finding ways to conserve energy

Steve Guiremand

Monday, June 4, 2001 | 10:27 a.m.

Every little minute helps when it comes to conserving electricity these days.

Just ask the Las Vegas 51s.

The triple-A baseball team recently moved the starting time for its night home games back from 7:05 to 7:10 in an effort to cut back on peak time electrical use.

It takes 10 minutes for the stadium lights to reach full effect once they are turned on. And off-peak electrical rates kick in at 7 p.m.

"The LVCVA asked us to do it because of what is going on in California," said Don Logan, president and general manager of the 51s. "The rates go down at 7 p.m. and it takes about 10 minutes for those babies to heat up."

Logan said he did not know how much his team saved in electrical costs with the move.

"Apparently it does save a lot," Logan said. "These are older lights and they use a lot of juice."

Evans, an All-Star in 1973 and 1983, played with the Braves, Giants and Tigers from 1969-89. He was on base when Hank Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th home run on April 8, 1974 against the Dodgers and Al Downing.

Cotton went 1-for-2 with an RBI single before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning.

Pitching coach Dean Treanor had earlier served his three-game suspension for his part in the same donnybrook.

In the second game, catcher Melvin Rosario capped a five-run fourth with a two-run double to right to give the Golden Spikes a 5-4 win and a split of the twinbill.