Las Vegas fails to muster another rally

Victoria Sun

Thursday, April 11, 2002 | 9:09 a.m.

This time, unlike the previous three nights, there were no late inning heroics for the Las Vegas 51s.

There was no big inning to salvage the game.

51s left-hander Victor Alvarez put the team in a hole early and it was never able to recover.

The Edmonton Trappers scored four runs in the first inning en route to a 8-3 victory over the 51s on Wednesday afternoon at Cashman Field.

"You never want to get behind," 51s manager Brad Mills said. "Catch-up baseball is the hardest baseball ever to play.

"I don't care if you're in sandlot ball or Las Vegas or Colorado Springs or the Grand Canyon. Catch-up baseball is tough on everybody."

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the 51s (5-2), who lead the series against Edmonton, 2-1, and remain first in the Pacific Coast League's South Division. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Trappers, who improved to 2-4.

The 51s scored twice in the third inning to pull within 6-3 but that was as close as they would get.

Second baseman Joe Thurston singled and scored on Scott Pose's single to right. Felix Martinez singled and scored on a double-play in the inning.

Pose, who started the game with a double, stole home in the first inning to put the 51s on the scoreboard. He went 3-for-4 with one RBI and two stolen bases.

"We're trying to give our pitchers a cushion, something to work with, but we just weren't able to do it this first week," Pose said. "I'm sure we'll go through stretches where we're putting up runs early.

"It just comes in ebbs and flows."

Edmonton left fielder Michael Restovich went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Alvarez surrendered six hits, six runs and three walks in five innings for his second loss. Trappers starter Tony Fiore pitched a solid eight innings, allowing three runs on nine hits, one walk and striking out four for his second win.

"He changed speeds pretty well, he had a pretty good sinker and he was able to locate pitches," Pose said. "I think that's they key. He was successful in doing so and he stayed out of the big inning."

Edmonton designated hitter Todd Sears singled in two runs with a line-drive to right field that rocketed past 51s first baseman Chin-Feng Chen putting Edmonton up 6-1 in the third inning.