51s get relief from Neu, Mahomes in 11-10 win

Nick Christensen

Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005 | 9:29 a.m.

It's no secret around the Pacific Coast League - without Franquelis Osoria in the bullpen, the Las Vegas 51s are very vulnerable in the late innings.

So when Osoria left for Washington on Monday afternoon to join the Dodgers, the bull's-eye reappeared on the backs of the 51s' relievers.

But showing about as much resolve as the team has shown this season, the 51s overcame the 13 hits starter Heath Totten gave up in 3 1/3 innings, the two runs reliever Mike Neu gave up in the top of the eighth, and the 3 hours and 42 minutes of game time at muggy Cashman Field to take a 10-inning, 11-10 win against Oklahoma in front of a paid crowd of 2,250.

"When we got Chin(-Feng Chen) back, and we got (Mike) Rose back, and (Delwyn) Young comes here, offensively we're going to get some runs," 51s manager Jerry Royster said. "We've got to figure out what to do with our pitching, especially our bullpen. Whenever Osoria leaves, we're out of sorts."

Chen went 3-for-5 with a single, double and home run Monday, his second game back after being sent down from a month with the Dodgers.

Totten, who has a 9.91 ERA in 10 starts since being suspended for testing positive for banned substances in May, was fortunate to give up only eight runs. In his first inning, Oklahoma had the bases loaded before Manny Alexander grounded to first. The RedHawks left a runner on third in the second and a runner on second in the third inning.

In the top of the fourth inning, Totten was replaced by Mike Neu and walked to the clubhouse with 51s trainer Jason Mahnke.

Totten will be placed on the disabled list this week for an elbow injury, making room on the roster for pitcher Buddy Carlyle. Scott Erickson, designated for assignment by the Dodgers last week, is expected to join the 51s later this week.

In his last 10 starts, Totten had given up 88 hits and 51 earned runs to the 239 batters he faced in 46 1/3 innings.

"It's been kind of around and it comes and goes," Royster said of Totten's elbow. "He's trying to pitch around it and you can't do that. If your arm's hurt, your arm's hurt."

While Totten struggled on the mound, the 51s were voracious at the plate. Las Vegas scored in the first four frames, trailing 8-7 until Cody Ross' RBI single was followed by a two-run double by Mike Rose to put the 51s up 10-8.

But Oklahoma drew even the next inning, ending a run of four scoreless innings by Neu.

Pat Mahomes pitched 1 2/3 hitless innings for his eighth win of 2005 when Willy Aybar hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the 10th.

Michael Tejera took the loss for Oklahoma. RedHawks starter Juan Dominguez gave up 10 hits and seven runs (five earned) in 3 2/3 innings.

"We don't have anywhere to go out there (in the bullpen). We had to go to Mahomes because we didn't have anywhere else to go," Royster said. "It wouldn't be four hours if we pitched halfway decent. We saw what Neu and Mahomes did. It doesn't have to be four-hour games. Eleven to 10? That's not good. Eleven to 2? OK."