51s flex muscles en route to victory

Nick Christensen

Tuesday, May 4, 2004 | 9:12 a.m.

Coming into Monday's series opener with the PCL-leading Tucson Sidewinders, the Las Vegas 51s had yet to find their groove.

The team was batting .248 and averaging four runs a game through its 9-15 start, and had just been swept by the Fresno Grizzlies in four games in Fresno.

But the 51s unloaded on the Sidewinders, knocking up Tucson pitchers for five home runs and 10 hits in a 7-2 victory at Cashman Field Monday.

"We had five home runs?," said a surprised Las Vegas manager Terry Kennedy. "We haven't scored 10 runs yet. It's nice to get seven and hold. We've scored seven runs before and lost."

In fact, Las Vegas has scored seven runs and lost three times, most recently in a 9-8 loss April 26 against Sacramento. But the team is now 7-1 after scoring first.

The run production Monday started early, after Koyie Hill's RBI single that drove home Shane Victorino in the first inning. Victorino, Antonio Perez, and Luis Garcia all had home runs, and Chin-Feng Chen had two home runs.

Chen, who has been known to be a streaky batter, has struggled since a two-week stint with the Dodgers in April. His batting average dipped to .120 since being sent back down.

"I'm just trying to do my best," Chen said when asked if he thought his performance was the start of a turnaround. "I just try to put the ball in play; I'm not trying to hit a home run."

Chen's home runs were his 54th and 55th as a 51, and he passed Joe Lansford for fourth all-time on the Las Vegas franchise home run list.

The mood in the clubhouse after the win was jovial, with backup catcher Ryan Kellner dancing in nothing but a jockstrap and music playing on the stereo for the first time in over a week.

Kennedy said the team was fairly down after being swept at Fresno, especially after Sunday's 4-3 loss, in which the Grizzlies scored nine runs in the ninth inning to earn the win against Las Vegas' Agustin Montero.

Part of the problem facing the 51s in close games is the organization doesn't have any need for a closer to be developed at the Triple-A level. With Eric Gagne closing in Los Angeles and Guillermo Mota and Tom Martin serving as effective setup men, the Dodgers need their top farm club to be building on middle relief more than anything, Kennedy said.

Las Vegas is 2-8 in one-run games this season, including three one-run losses last week in Fresno.

"We didn't play very good, but we did hit the ball hard in all four games. They were like vacuums out there, though," Kennedy said. "With three more one-run games, we could have really made things better; they were tough losses."