Friday, June 10, 2005 | 9:12 a.m.
Then again, what else is there to do on a Tuesday night in Sacramento?
Believe it or not, the Las Vegas 51s' bullpen gave up only one run Thursday night.
That's progress. Las Vegas relievers had given up 34 runs in the 51s' previous five games, leaving the rest of the team frustrated.
The problem instead was the offense Thursday, as the 51s stranded 12 runners in a 4-0 loss to the Tacoma Rainiers at Cheney Stadium.
"Even though we have a high batting average, we don't knock in runs very well," 51s manager Jerry Royster said. "Our lineup is somewhat depleted from what it was when we were winning. Some guys are going to have to step up and become guys they maybe are really not, which is RBI guys."
After 59 games, only three 51s -- Chin-Feng Chen, Brian Myrow and Willy Aybar -- have more than 30 RBIs. Norihiro Nakamura, who has played just 25 games in a 51s uniform, has 28 RBIs, including a team-high 10 home runs.
"You count on guys like Nakamura to knock in runs," Royster said. "You hope Myrow and (Cody) Ross, who normally hit seven and six, those are guys who are going to have to drive in runs."
The loss outshadowed an overall strong pitching performance. Tom Farmer's ERA dropped -- yes, dropped -- to 16.81 after he pitched a scoreless seventh inning, while Ryan Rupe allowed three runs and struck out five batters in five innings pitched.
Steve Schmoll gave up one run in the eighth inning.
"Just playing in a real ballpark, that happens," Royster said. "They hit balls hard and so did we."
No doubt the launching pad known as Cashman Field has had some impact on the pitching performance. Reports from Los Angeles on Thursday indicate that the Dodgers may even be considering dropping starter Edwin Jackson to Double-A Jacksonville, in large part because of the hitter-friendliness of Cashman Field.
The 51s play three more games at Tacoma before a four-game series at Sacramento. They return home to face the Rainiers a week from today.
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