Dodgers win as 51s lose

By Brian Hilderbrand

Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007 | 7:18 a.m.

A fourth consecutive losing season may not sit well with the Las Vegas 51s' front office and their fans, but the team's 25th anniversary season wasn't a total loss.

The 51s finished 10 games under .500 , but the season was a success - from a player development standpoint - as manager Lorenzo Bundy and his staff sent 17 players to Los Angeles throughout the season to help the parent Dodgers.

At the gate, the team enjoyed its third-best season ever and its best since 1993.

Along the way, one 51s player matched a modern-day Pacific Coast League record for doubles and another began serving a lengthy suspension after testing positive a second time in two years for performance-enhancing substances.

Here, then, is a look at some of the highlights - and lowlights - of the Las Vegas 51s' silver anniversary season:

67-77

51s' overall record in 2007, which ranked 13th in the 16-team Pacific Coast League.

371,676

Total attendance for 72 home dates in 2007 - the team's third-largest home attendance mark in its 25-year history.

.296

51s' team batting average this

season, which ranked second in the league.

5.39

Las Vegas' team earned-run

average, which ranked last in

the PCL.

12,179

Largest crowd to watch a 51s game this season at Cashman Field

(July 3 vs. Fresno).

100

Games infielder Sergio Garcia was suspended by MLB for testing positive for performance-enhancing substances.

17

Number of players called up by the parent Los Angeles Dodgers during the season.

.355

51s' infielder Tony Abreu's batting average this season in

54 games.

11

Number of saves for team-leading reliever Eric Hull, who was promoted to the Dodgers this week.

4.12

Miguel Pinango's earned-run average in 23 starts this season - eighth-best among PCL pitchers with at least 0.8 inning pitched per game.

14

Infielder Wilson Valdez's team-leading stolen base total in 2007; Freddy Guzman of Oklahoma led the league with 56.

3

Number of shutouts recorded by Las Vegas pitchers in 2007.

582

Number of walks issued by Las Vegas pitchers this season - most in the PCL.