P.J. Conlon hit hard as 51s drop series finale to Fresno
By the end of the game Friday, an outfielder and catcher had taken the mound for the 51s while a pitcher had taken to left field — all three things were good indications that things weren’t exactly going well for the home team.
Las Vegas dropped the series finale to Fresno 12-4 on Friday night at Cashman Field, losing three of four to the Grizzlies.
It was a game the 51s (5-11) were out of quickly as starter P.J. Conlon was tagged early and often for his second straight start.
Conlon gave up seven runs — six earned — in 3 1/3 innings pitched in El Paso on April 14 in his last start. Friday, his line looked similar, giving up seven runs on eight hits in three innings pitched.
“The first start he was able to throw his changeup and get some swing and misses on it. Since then he’s having problems getting that pitch over the plate and trying to be too fine with his fastball,” manager Tony DeFrancesco said. “He just fell behind. He was trying, it looked like, (to) stay away from contact today and he got caught up into 85 pitches in three innings, which is totally not like him. We need him to go out there and give us five or six innings with our bullpen being down right now.”
Fresno (12-4) scored three runs in the second inning on RBI singles from Alejandro Garcia and Tony Kemp.
The Grizzlies added on with four more runs — thanks to RBI hits from Tim Federowicz, Jack Mayfield and Kemp — in the next inning to end Conlon’s night.
Reliever Kelly Secrest didn’t fare much better in the fourth inning, giving up five runs. Long blasts from J.D. Davis and Jack Mayfield helped chase him out of the game after retiring just two batters.
Kyle Regnault (1 1/3 inning), Tim Peterson and Hansel Robles (one inning each) turned in scoreless outings.
In the last two innings, with the bullpen thin after recent heavy usage and the team down big, the 51s turned to outfielder Matt den Dekker and catcher Colton Plaia, who both turned in scoreless innings of their own.
“They’ve all been stretched out one-plus inning the last couple days so we need a good start from (Drew) Gagnon tomorrow. It’s going to be a battle here until we get our starting pitching in order,” DeFrancesco said.
Offensively, the 51s couldn’t do much against Fresno starter Kent Emanuel, who threw 5 2/3 innings and gave up just a run — a solo homer to Phillip Evans — while striking out seven.
“I had him last year and this guy is a totally different pitcher,” DeFrancesco said. “He got a little more aggressive. He (has) got a little more fastball than I remember. He changed speeds tonight. He pitched inside. He came right after us and he kind of dominated early.”
The 51s did score three runs in the eighth inning, on a Ty Kelly line drive to center which plated Gavin Cecchini and a Bryce Brentz two-run blast. It was Brentz’s third home run in as many games, but it was too little, too late.
“We had a chance early in the game,” DeFrancesco said. “We had a runner on third nobody out, couldn’t get him in and the momentum just went the other way.”
Worth noting
Shortstop Luis Guillorme was taken out of the game early after twisting his ankle but DeFrancesco said he was hoping he would be alright for Saturday.
Catcher Johnny Monell was also pulled early and DeFrancesco said he possibly had a concussion.
Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.
