Stars have three wins under the belt before facing Fresno

TUCSON --- Thanks to Sunday night's 7-5 victory over the Tucson Sidewinders, the Las Vegas Stars have opened the second half of their Pacific Coast League South Division schedule by winning three of their first four games.

Now comes the real test.

The Stars open a four-game series with South Division leader Fresno starting tonight at Cashman Field. The Grizzlies have won seven of the eight meetings with Las Vegas this year, including the last seven-in-a-row topped by a first half ending four-game sweep in Fresno.

Las Vegas, which led 3-2 after five innings thanks to Charles Poe's fifth homer of the year, broke Sunday night's game open with a four-run seventh highlighted by a two-out, two-run double by third baseman George Arias and a two-run home run by first baseman Eddie Williams.

Arias increased his PCL-leading RBI total to 77 while Williams increased his home run total to 13.

Tucson made it interesting by scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth. But reliever Will Cunanne induced Sidewinder shortstop Tim Florez to ground into a game-ending double play to earn his first save.

Brian Tollberg (3-3), bouncing back from a record-setting six home run outing against Fresno, gave up just two runs and seven hits over five innings to pick up the victory.

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