51s explode for 20-8 PCL victory at Salt Lake
Kirk Nieuwenhuis had two home runs and five RBIs and was one of eight Las Vegas players with multiple hits as the 51s routed the Salt Lake Bees 20-8 in the rubber game of their three-game Pacific Coast League series Thursday in Salt Lake City.
The 51s (42-32) sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning and 11 each in the second and seventh innings as they totaled 24 hits in their 11th win in 14 games.
Nieuwenhuis hit a three-run homer in the first inning and a two-run shot in the ninth. Travis Taijeron hit a two-run shot in the seventh and a two-run single in the second en route to a five-RBI night.
Brandon Allen went 5-for-6 with two doubles and two RBIs, Danny Muno and Alex Castellanos each had three hits and three runs, and Anthony Recker was 3-for-5 with a double and four RBIs as eight Las Vegas players scored multiple runs and five had multiple RBIs.
Dillon Gee (1-0) made his first start for the 51s and was sharp in four of his five innings. In his one bad inning, the fourth, the 29-year-old six-year New York Mets veteran gave up six runs on five hits.
Kaleb Cowart hit a three-run homer and Roger Kieschnick a two-run shot for the Bees (29-45) in their six-run fourth.
Gee’s final line was six runs on seven hits and one walk and six strikeouts.
After 51s reliever Cody Satterwhite gave up one run in three innings, catcher Dan Rohlfing pitched the ninth, giving up one run on one hit, one walk and one hit-batsman.
Salt Lake starter Alex Sanabia (1-8) was tagged for eight runs on five hits and four walks in 1 1/3 innings.
