51s bounce back to even series with Edmonton

Victoria Sun

Friday, Sept. 6, 2002 | 10:25 a.m.

Salt Lake takes 2-0 advantage

SALT LAKE CITY -- Robb Quinlan drove in four runs to lead Salt Lake to a 7-3 win over the Oklahoma Redhawks Thursday night and giving the Stingers a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Pacific Coast League first-round playoff series.

Oklahoma took a 2-0 lead in the second on solo home runs by Hank Blalock and Kurt Bierek off Salt Lake starter Chris Bootcheck.

The Stingers rallied in the fifth with a two-out, three-run triple by Quinlan, the PCL's Most Valuable Player during the regular season.

Salt Lake added two more in the sixth off Redhawks starter Colby Lewis on a squeeze bunt by Clay Bellinger and a throwing error by Oklahoma second baseman Jermaine Clark on an infield single by Alfredo Amezaga.

Bootcheck allowed three runs on six hits to pick up the win for Salt Lake, while relievers Bart Miadich and Francisco Rodriguez combined to retire all seven batters they faced.

Scott Pose had two hits and one run batted in for the Redhawks.

The series now shifts to Oklahoma City for games three, and if necessary, four and five beginning tonight.

-- The Associated Press

After blowing a seven-run lead the previous night that led to a disappointing home loss, the 51s were faced with the possibility that if they didn't beat the Edmonton Trappers Thursday night, their first-round playoff series could be over in a hurry.

With the next three games on the road, the importance of winning one at home wasn't lost on the 51s.

Determined not to let another lead slip away, they dove for balls on a damp field and made some impressive plays to emerge with a 7-3 victory at Cashman Field before an announced crowd of 3,097.

The best-of-five series is tied 1-1 as the scene switches to Edmonton for games three, four and five (if necessary) beginning tonight.

"It's real big," second baseman Jeff Branson said. "You definitely don't want to go to their home turf 0-2.

"We felt we played good tonight and felt we played good last night, but we just didn't win."

Las Vegas starter Lindsay Gulin set the tone for the 51s, retiring the first nine batters he faced.

Stretched to seven innings, Gulin threw a season-high 128 pitches. He scattered four hits, three runs, walked one and struck out seven for the win.

"He came up huge tonight," 51s manager Brad Mills said. "I think the rain might have kept him fresh because every time I asked him how he felt, he said he was good and he pitched that way.

"I don't think he's ever thrown 130 pitches before. He dealt and I couldn't be more proud of him."

The 6-foot-3 left-hander was called up from double-A Jacksonville June 23. He started 14 games for the 51s, finishing 5-2 with a 4.98 ERA in the regular season.

"I felt good," a tired Gulin said. "My confidence was high. I was having fun out there pitching in a game like that."

Reliever Alfredo Gonzalez followed Gulin's lead and surrendered one hit in two scoreless innings preserving the win.

The 51s now face the challenge of winning two on the road. The winner will face either Salt Lake City or Oklahoma in the PCL finals with Salt Lake leading that series 2-0.

The 51s went 2-2 in Edmonton and 44-28 overall on the road during the regular season.

"All year we've been playing better on the road so I don't see it as a negative thing going up there," said shortstop Chris Clapinski, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored. "Either way we would have had to win one there to win the series so what's another one?

"It's all up to us, we can't sit back and wait for them to make mistakes and give us the game. We've got to play baseball the way we're capable of and we'll be fine."

The 51s scored six runs off Edmonton starter Brad Thomas in the fourth inning for a 7-2 lead.

Clapinski led off with a double and scored on Phil Hiatt's second run-scoring double of the game. Chen tripled in Hiatt and Luke Allen, who reached on a throwing error by Edmonton shortstop David Lamb. Rick Bell singled in Chen and scored on Thomas' errant throw past first base allowing Branson to reach third. Branson scored the final run on Bubba Crosby's single to center field.

Chen went 2-for-2 with a triple, a double and a run scored while Hiatt went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.