51s blow late lead against Zephyrs, lose fifth straight game
51s right-hander Robert Gsellman had pitched well enough for a win in each of his past three starts with little to show for it.
On Friday, it looked as if he had bucked that trend. Gsellman left the game in line for a victory after six innings, but it evaded him again. Reliever Jim Henderson — on rehab from the New York Mets — coughed up a lead in the eighth inning, and Las Vegas lost 6-5 to the New Orleans Zephyrs at Cashman Field.
Henderson (0-2) took the loss for the second time in three games, giving up three runs in the eighth, punctuated by Xavier Scruggs’ two-run homer.
“He had a tough night,” Las Vegas manager Wally Backman said. “He rehabbed, he hurt his hamstring, he came back, he’s rehabbing again. He pitched really well when he first got here the first time, and tonight he just left too many balls over the middle of the plate.”
Scruggs gave the Zephyrs (56-62) their first lead, too, doubling after Gsellman had walked the first two batters of the fourth. The Zephyrs tacked on two more runs in the inning on Destin Hood’s single.
“He pitched really good, except for the fourth inning,” Backman said. “He lost command of his pitches and left too many balls when he did throw strikes, they were over the middle of the plate. The two walks killed him, and then he gave up an 0-and-2 hit. That’s what hurt him.”
The 51s (57-63) began their comeback in the bottom of the fourth. They got one run when Gavin Cecchini’s soft fly fell in and scored Roger Bernadina to make the score 3-1.
In the sixth, Las Vegas took a 4-3 lead. Travis Taijeron and Bernadina singled to start the inning and advanced on Cecchini’s sacrifice bunt. The next batter, Niuman Romero, tied the game with a double down the left-field line, and L.J. Mazzilli gave the 51s the lead with a single to center.
Bernadina finished 4-for-5 with a walk, two runs and one RBI.
“Tonight I was pretty locked in, and it turned out well for me,” Bernadina said.
But though Bernadina had a big night, the 51s finished 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position and grounded into two double plays, killing opportunities to score more runs.
The loss sent the 51s spiraling to their fifth straight setback. They were swept at last-place Albuquerque before the Zephyrs came to town.
“The team will go through some tough times, and I guess right now we’re going through that, but we’ve got to keep going,” Bernadina said. “You don’t want to see it like that, but things can start tomorrow and then we can go on a streak.”
Up next
Who: New Orleans Zephyrs at Las Vegas 51s
When: 7:05 p.m. Saturday
Where: Cashman Field
Starters: Asher Wojciechowski (2-5, 5.94 ERA), Zephyrs, vs. Gabriel Ynoa (10-5, 4.42 ERA)
Next five
Sunday: New Orleans at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Monday: New Orleans at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday: Round Rock at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday: Round Rock at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday: Round Rock at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Update
The New York Mets optioned outfielder Michael Conforto to Las Vegas on Friday. Conforto played briefly for the 51s earlier in the season and hit .344 in 16 games, but didn’t see consistent at-bats with the Mets. They also recalled Seth Lugo from Triple A.
Betsy Helfand can be reached at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @BetsyHelfand
