Stars drop fifth straight

FRESNO -- Despite extending their season-high losing streak to five games with a 10-7 loss to the Fresno Grizzlies on Wednesday night, the Las Vegas Stars have one small consolation.

It's only four more days until the All-Star break.

Tony Franklin's tired and undermanned club, playing well below the roster limit of 23 men for more than a month now, can definitely use a break if the first two games here against the lowly Grizzlies (32-55) are any indication.

The Stars (46-38) fell behind 10-0 after just four innings as starter Rodrigo Lopez was shelled for nine earned runs in just 2 1/3 innings before departing with a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand.

Hold the jokes, please.

The Stars, thanks in part to two-run doubles by Alex Pelaez and Ben Davis, rallied to make things interesting late, closing the gap to 10-7 after seven innings.

But Fresno reliever Ben Weber worked 1-2-3 innings in both the eighth and ninth to stifle the Stars' comeback hopes.

Now Franklin & Co. have to hold their breath and hope that Davis, showing signs of finally emerging from a month-long slump, isn't the next key player to get called up to San Diego.

The Padres' starting catcher, Carlos Hernandez, left Wednesday night's 7-5 loss to the Dodgers in the third inning with a mild back strain.

The Stars conclude their brief three-game Fresno swing tonight at 7:15 with right-hander Wascar Serrano (0-0, 20.77 ERA) scheduled to start against Fresno's Scott Linebrink (1-4, 5.47).

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