51s’ Devey isn’t at his best, but good enough to get win

Victoria Sun

Friday, May 24, 2002 | 9:13 a.m.

Las Vegas 51s starting pitcher Phil Devey needed only seven pitches to strike out the first two batters he faced Thursday night.

He didn't stay as sharp as a barber's razor, but was just as effective as one the rest of the game. When he wasn't, he was helped out by his teammates and Omaha's blunders.

Devey gave up eight hits, one earned run and struck out six in six innings to lead the 51s to a 4-3 win over Omaha at Cashman Field.

He retired the last five batters he faced before being relieved by Craig House, who tossed one scoreless inning.

"I didn't feel good, but I felt like I competed," said Devey, who appeared in three games for the 51s last season. "My best pitches weren't really working for me today, but Ross (catcher David) got me out of key spots."

The 51s improved to 28-20 while Omaha dropped to 23-24.

51s manager Brad Mills called the win important because the team begins an eight-game road trip today beginning at Portland and ending in Tacoma.

The 51s almost lost the game in the ninth after Omaha rallied for two runs off closer Ricky Bones. Bones got Ken Harvey to fly out to center field to end the game.

"I'm thrilled to death to win the game," Mills said. "That was one of the biggest games we've had in a while.

"This was a big game to get. They've called for heavy rain in Tacoma Sunday, Monday and Tuesday so we might get rained out. They're going to have their heavy artillery out for us because of the sweep we put on here."

Although the Royals had 13 hits and stole two bases, one Omaha runner was picked off and two were caught stealing.

Omaha committed two of its three errors in the fifth inning resulting in three runs for the 51s and a 4-1 lead.

Ross singled to start the inning, then went to third when Jeff Branson's soft shot rolled past second baseman Jed Hansen, who tried unsuccessfully to scoop it up. One out later, Ross scored on Garey Ingram's suicide squeeze.

51s designated hitter Chin-Feng Chen followed Ingram with a single up the middle and Omaha starter Mike MacDougal walked Phil Hiatt.

The second error occurred with the bases loaded and Luke Allen up. Allen singled in Branson and Chen. Hiatt went to third and Allen to second when catcher Mike Rose's throw to second base landed in shallow center field.

They were stranded when Rick Bell grounded out to third ending the inning.

"It's a credit to our pitching staff that we could pull it out," Bell said. "They got a couple of cheap hits in the ninth inning."

A solid hit in the second helped Las Vegas get its offense started. Hiatt led off with a double off the center field wall, advanced to third on Allen's infield single and scored on Bell's sacrifice fly to center field, tying the game 1-1.

The Royals scored their only run with two outs in the first inning when Brandon Berger doubled in Aaron Guiel.