51s finding their bats at home

Nick Christensen

Tuesday, May 18, 2004 | 9:23 a.m.

When the Las Vegas 51s kicked off their current homestand last week, the team was batting .253 with 142 runs -- 4.4 per game -- second-worst in the Pacific Coast League in both statistics.

But after first a four-game series against New Orleans, then the second-worst team in the PCL, and now through three of four games with the Oklahoma Redhawks, the league's best offensive team, the 51s have suddenly risen to the middle of the pack in the PCL offensively.

The 51s' increasingly hot offense rolled again, riding a six-run sixth inning to an 8-7 win against Oklahoma Monday night at Cashman Field.

Over the seven games of this homestand, the 51s are batting .354, averaging 6.8 runs per game, and have cut their strikeouts per game average from 6.8 on the season to 4.7 for the homestand.

Although the team is the only in the PCL that has yet to score more than 10 runs in a game, Las Vegas has scored eight or nine runs in four of the seven games in this stretch.

It's a far cry from the last road trip, when the 51s mustered eight runs in four games.

"The stuff George (Hendrick, the 51s' hitting coach) was working on with these guys is working on them," said 51s manager Terry Kennedy. "Jose Flores especially, he hit two more tonight. No one had ever told Flo to use his top hand, and it's obviously working."

Flores is 14-for-23 over the home stretch.

Kennedy said he's also been adjusting the order, helping better utilize plate production.

Second baseman Antonio Perez, seeing increased playing time since Joe Thurston was called up to the Dodgers on May 8, has moved to the leadoff spot, hitting .288 with five stolen bases so far this year. Koyie Hill is now seeing increased time in the third spot in the lineup, with Luis Garcia batting fourth. Garcia has 11 home runs this season, fourth in the PCL.

"I'm just pleased that Koyie is hitting better, and Antonio's thriving in the leadoff spot," Kennedy said.

"This team is finding its identity. We finally found a leadoff guy, not that there was anything wrong with Theo (Nick Theodorou). Koyie is a big lift at the third spot, and Luis still runs into one every once in a while."

Kennedy added that the team has stepped it up against better opponents, pointing out that the team won three of four games against the league-leading Tucson Sidewinders, has now won three of four against Oklahoma, the league's best offensive team, and "played Sacramento to a standstill," splitting eight games against the River Cats on the season.

Now, the 51s sit on the threshold of doing something they haven't done since April 11 -- breaking even in the standings.

Las Vegas has been one game under .500 three times since then. But the 51s are 9-4 since being swept at Fresno at the beginning of May.