Error buoys El Paso, dooms 51s
Daniel McCutchen pitched seven strong innings, and a sixth-inning error plated the decisive runs in the El Paso Chihuahuas’ 3-2 win over the 51s in a Pacific Coast League game Friday in El Paso, Texas.
The Chihuahuas (62-57) won three games in the four-game series to pull within 3½ games of first-place Las Vegas (66-54) in the Pacific South Division.
McCutchen (7-6) held the 51s to one run on four hits and two walks and struck out four, throwing 66 of his 96 pitches for strikes.
Darrell Ceciliani’s eighth home run of the season, a two-out shot in the fifth inning, put Las Vegas up 1-0.
El Paso answered with a three-run sixth.
Cody Decker led off with a single, and an error by shortstop Matt Reynolds put runners at the corners. Rymer Liriano then tied the score with an RBI single.
Hector Gomez followed with a bunt to starting pitcher Matt Bowman (7-13), who threw to third in an attempt to retire Jason Hagerty. But the toss went down the left-field line, allowing Hagerty and Liriano to score.
Bowman (7-13) gave up three runs, two earned, on seven hits and three walks and struck out four in 5 2/3 innings.
The 51s rallied in the ninth. Brandon Nimmo led off with a triple against closer Jay Jackson and scored on Kevin Plawecki’s groundout to bring Las Vegas within 3-2.
After a strikeout, Danny Muno hit a pinch double, but was stranded when Dilson Herrera grounded out.
Herrera and Ceciliani each had two hits for the 51s, who matched the Chihuahuas’ seven hits, two errors and eight runners left on base.
Relievers Dario Alvarez, John Church and Vic Black held El Paso hitless in the final 2 1/3 innings, with three strikeouts.
