Pena, 51s slip past Sounds

Victoria Sun

Thursday, June 28, 2001 | 11:42 a.m.

Nashville second baseman Chris Petersen dives for a bad throw as Las Vegas' Angel Pena slides into second base Wednesday at Cashman Field. Nashville committed two errors on the play and Pena ended up scoring.

Angel Pena rarely plays first base, but the 5-foot-8, 230-pound catcher for the Las Vegas 51s looked right at home there Wednesday night against the Nashville Sounds.

When Pena arrived at Cashman Field he was prepared to spend the evening crouching behind home plate.

51s manager Rick Soffield had other plans for him, opting to use Geronimo Gil at catcher and Pena at first base.

"In our organization, our catchers need to have two positions because there is value there," Soffield said. "Angel is extremely athletic so you want him there in the line-up wherever you can.

"He can play first and so can Gil, but I decided to let Gil catch because he and (starting pitcher) Victor Alvarez are cohorts."

Soffield had no choice but to shuffle his infield because Jeff Barry is out with a thumb injury.

Pena, who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored during the 51s 6-5 victory, said he is ready to play wherever he is needed.

Last year Pena played some first base because he had an injured thumb.

"I saw the lineup and I said, 'Oh, I'm playing first base today,' " Pena said. "I'm comfortable anywhere. As long as I'm playing, I don't mind.

"I want to play every day."

The hulking Pena started the year with the Dodgers before being optioned to triple-A June 16.

He batted .204 in 22 games with 15 RBIs and two home runs with Los Angeles.

"I know I'm not doing well in the big leagues so they sent me down," Pena acknowledged. "My goal is to work hard on everything, my swing, catching and calling the game."

51s center fielder Chris Prieto has been working on his swing and it paid off.

He went 3-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored.

"I've been feeling pretty good behind the plate lately," Prieto said. "I've been fortunate enough to work with our hitting coach trying to get back to what was working for me."

While Prieto shined on offense, he blamed himself for allowing the Sounds to tie the game 5-5 in the fifth.

Nashville loaded the bases with one out when Green Valley graduate Chad Hermansen whacked a high ball right at Prieto who couldn't catch it. Hermansen's hit turned into a three-run triple before he was thrown out at home plate.

"Victor pitched well," Prieto said. "I was the one who put up the five-spot.

"I was under the ball. What should have been a ball I normally catch turned out to be a big fundamental mistake. I had heavy feet. I'm just glad the team came back with a run and we ended up winning."