51s see errors of Ellis’ way in PCL defeat

Spencer Patterson

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 | 9:30 a.m.

It probably goes without saying that Las Vegas 51s pitcher Robert Ellis would have preferred to be with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium on Monday.

After all, the 6-foot-5 right-hander started 17 games for the Diamondbacks a year ago, collecting a World Series ring at season's end.

But Monday night, Ellis had even more reason to wish he were somewhere other than Cashman Field. The Las Vegas starter pitched well enough to win -- tossing eight strong innings -- but made three errors to propel visiting Salt Lake to a 6-3 victory.

"He did a good job tonight. He was focused out there," 51s manager Brad Mills said. "But he's got to be able to make those plays, on the pickoffs and the bunts."

Ellis (4-3), who came in with a 3-0 record in his last five starts, finished with a season-high seven strikeouts, scattering five hits, walking none and yielding just one earned run over eight innings. But all three of his errors led directly to runs, with the Stingers scoring twice in the third and twice in the eighth.

Ellis' first miscue came in third inning, with the game scoreless. After Chone Figgens tripled, Alfredo Amezaga was awarded first base on a hit-by-pitch, even though the ball appeared to miss him.

Frustrated by the call, Ellis attempted to pick Amezaga off first, but his throw sailed high toward the visitors' dugout, allowing Figgens to score. Amezaga went all the way to third, then scored moments later on Larry Barnes' groundout.

"That (call) probably had something to do with it, but at the same time you have to be able to put that behind you," Mills said. "You hate to see something like that turn into two runs."

After the hosts came back to tie the game at two in the fourth on an RBI groundout by Luke Allen and a run-scoring double by Rick Bell, disaster struck again for Ellis in the eighth.

After former 51 Keith Johnson led off the frame with a double, Figgens laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner over. Ellis fielded the ball, wheeled and fired another high throw over first baseman Phil Hiatt's head.

Johnson scored to make it 3-2, and Figgens advanced to third. Seconds later, Ellis committed his second error of the inning, and third of the game, when his pickoff throw eluded third baseman Rick Bell, pushing Salt Lake's fourth run across the plate.

Despite the loss, Ellis' ERA dropped from 4.52 to 4.17. At the same time, however, he became the first 51 -- position player or pitcher -- to make three errors in one ballgame.

Mark Lukasiewicz (1-0) earned the win with one inning of scoreless relief, and Brendan Donnelly picked up his sixth save despite surrendering a ninth inning run on an RBI single by Phil Hiatt.

Right-hander Lance Caraccioli (1-0, 3.09) will start game two of the four-game series for Las Vegas (38-27) tonight at 7:10 p.m. against Salt Lake right-hander John Lackey (6-2, 3.01). Right-hander Matt Wise (2-0, 1.47), who made three relief appearances for the Angels earlier this season, is slated to start game two for the Stingers (28-27) against the 51s' Kevin Beirne (5-1, 4.32).