Lutz returns with flourish, powers 51s

Zach Lutz went 4-for-5 with three RBIs in his return to the 51s in helping Las Vegas to a 10-5 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes in a Pacific Coast League game Thursday in Albuquerque, N.M.

Lutz, who hit .292 with 20 home runs and 117 RBIs in 170 games with the 51s in 2013 and ‘14, spent the past season-plus playing baseball in Korea and Japan.

The 29-year-old corner infielder had a two-run double to cap Las Vegas‘ five-run second inning and an RBI single in the ninth as the 51s (54-38) won their seventh straight.

Anthony Recker had a two-run triple in Las Vegas‘ three-run first inning and an RBI single in the second, and he scored three runs.

T.J. Rivera had an RBI single in the second and finished 3-for-5 for the 51s, who had a 17-10 edge in hits.

Las Vegas starter Matt Bowman (6-10) gave up five runs on eight hits and three walks and struck out five in six innings.

Tim Wheeler, the No. 8 hitter for the Isotopes (41-51), drove in all of Albuquerque‘s runs with a solo home run in the third inning and a grand slam in the sixth.

Dilson Herrera went 2-for-5 and scored twice, and Travis Taijeron went 2-for-5 with an RBI for the 51s.

Isotopes starter John Lannan (5-4), who spent part of last season with Las Vegas, gave up nine runs on 13 hits and struck out three in five innings.