51s pitcher shuts down Colorado Springs

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, July 24, 2009 | 7:55 a.m.

Everyone says T.J. Beam’s baseball future is coming out of the bullpen as a reliever. If Thursday night was any indicator, however, he could become a pretty effective starter, too.

Making only his fifth start of the year, Beam pitched seven and two-thirds innings, struck out six and gave up three hits in a 5-0 victory against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox at Cashman Field.

“I just wanted to come out and throw strikes and get us late into the game,” Beam said. “We were a little short-handed in the bullpen so I basically just tried to keep the ball down and get groundballs.”

The 51s split a four-game series with the Pacific Northern division-leading Sky Sox. Thursday’s victory completed a 5-3 home stand heading into an eight-game road trip against sub-.500 foes Tacoma and Portland.

Although Las Vegas still occupies last place in the Pacific Southern division of the Pacific Coast League at 47-52, it is 13-7 in July and seemingly headed in the right direction.

“The team has been playing well. We’ve got some changing going on here and it seems like we’re in a constant state of change,” Las Vegas manager Mike Basso said. “But our defense has improved and we’re swinging the bats well.”

Perhaps, the hitters from both teams needed a break Thursday night. In the first three games of the series, the 51s and the Sky Sox had combined to score 43 runs.

Only one batter between the two teams went beyond first base in the first four and a half innings Thursday. The 51s leaned on Beam early. He excelled relying primarily on his fastball, which stayed in the low-to-mid 90s throughout the whole game.

“My fastball was up at times, but when I needed to throw it for a strike to get ahead I did,” Beam said. “That was key for me — getting ahead of hitters.”

The 51s’ offense finally awoke in the bottom of the fifth inning. After managing only three hits against Colorado Springs starter Adam Eaton in the first four innings, third baseman Kevin Howard and first baseman Brian Dopirak led off with back-to-back singles.

Right fielder Aaron Matthews bunted Howard and Dopirak over, before shortstop Angel Sanchez lined a fastball to an outfield gap and scored them both.

“He doesn’t give up at-bats. He battles all the way through,” Basso said. “He got a pitch up in the zone and pumped into left-center.”

Those two runs would have proven to be enough, but the 51s added three more in the seventh inning after Ben Julianel relieved Eaton. Las Vegas pieced together a two-out rally with a run-scoring double by second baseman Howie Clark and a bases-loaded single that scored two by left fielder Travis Snider.

That gave the crowd of 4,554 much to cheer about. They also loudly acknowledged a gutsy sliding catch in center field by Buck Coats on a line drive to end the top of the seventh inning.

But the noise reached its peak in the bottom of the seventh inning when the fans rewarded Beam with a standing ovation after Basso pulled him out.

“It’s nice to know your fans are behind you,” Beam said. “To have the fans come out and see a good ballgame, that’s always satisfying.”

Brian Wolfe preserved the win for Beam by recording the final four outs.