51s rally in ninth, then lose in 10th at El Paso
Ramiro Pena hit a sacrifice fly to score Jake Goebbert with the winning run in the 10th inning as El Paso spoiled a late 51s’ rally with a 9-8 victory in a Pacific Coast League game Tuesday in El Paso, Texas.
Las Vegas scored three runs in the ninth to force extra innings in the opener of a four-game series.
Goebbert, a pinch hitter, reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to third on a single by Travis Jankowski with one out. After an intentional walk by Chasen Bradford (5-3) to load the bases, Pena hit an 0-2 pitch to center field deep enough to score Goebbert.
Jankowski had three hits for the second-place Chihuahuas (60-56), who moved within 4½ games of Las Vegas (65-52) in the Pacific Southern Division.
The 51s showed patience at the plate to tie the game late. El Paso’s Tayron Guerrero walked four and struck out one of the five batters he faced in the ninth as he tried to protect an 8-5 lead. Matt Reynolds then singled off reliever Jerry Sullivan to even the score at 8.
Sullivan (6-2) then got Johnny Monell to ground into a double play with runners at the corners and one out. He pitched a perfect 10th to record the victory.
Reynolds drove in four runs for Las Vegas. Dilson Herrera scored three times and drove in two.
The series continues at 6:05 p.m. today.