The 51s second game of the season got off to a rough start and continued on in that fashion. Intermittent rain was not the only dampening factor. A succession of Vegas pitchers suffered a barrage as Fresno batters hammered out 18 hits. Seth Lugo made the start and gave up seven runs on nine hits, walking four and striking out three in four innings of work. Dario Alvarez and Stolmy Pimentel followed pitching an inning each, yielding two runs and one respectively. Collectively 51s pitchers had issued 5 walks. But things would get even more out of hand when Zack Thornton entered to start the seventh.
Dissatisfaction with home plate umpire Ramon DeJesus’ calling of balls and strikes had been drawing frustration from batters and pitchers alike. Thornton especially seemed to be squeezed as he walked two batters along with giving up four hits, resulting in four more Fresno runs after only one third of an inning. Pitching coach Frank Viola headed to the mound to speak to Thornton, but he also had some words for DeJesus. Viola was ejected from the game, but continued to make his case vehemently as third base umpire Alberto Ruiz intervened.
Paul Sewald came in and calmed things down after the altercation. He completed the seventh and pitched the eighth striking out two, and coming out as the only Las Vegas pitcher who remained unscathed.
In the midst of all this, the Vegas bats stirred in the fourth. Matt Reynolds walked and Johnny Monell singled, and both came around to score on a two-out double by T.J. Rivera. Next Gavin Cecchini singled plating Rivera for his first hit and RBI at the AAA level.
The 51s also scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and one in the seventh, but continued to play catch-up as the Grizzlies continued to score as well. In the eighth, Vegas put together four two-out singles and a walk to plate four more, however they just ran out of time. A combination of Fresno pitching and stellar defense held them off to close out a 15-10 barn burner.
Top Performers:
Monell had a good night at the plate going three for four with three RBI and a run scored. Cecchini, Dilson Herrera and Rivera had two hits each, and Reynolds went 1 for 2 with two walks and two runs scored. Sewald pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, striking out two.
Game three against Fresno will be Saturday at 10:05 PM ET. Gabriel Ynoa will get the start.
(Top photo by Amanda Santana, others by Jennifer Nieves)
