LAS VEGAS SUN

April 20, 2005

Escobar no problem for 51s
Relief fails home team after hitters chase big leaguer

............., Escobar lacked control on many of those 95-mph fastballs.
In the second inning alone, Escobar threw 15 balls at seven batters, and
plunked 51s second baseman Joe Thurston on an 0-2 pitch. Leading off the
third inning, Chin-Feng Chen hit a 3-1 pitch at least 450 feet down the
left-field power alley.

Escobar finished with five hits, two runs and six strikeouts in four innings
pitched in his second rehabilitation assignment since suffering the injury
late in spring training. He admitted that his focus wasn't so much striking
out Triple-A batters as it was making sure there was no residual pain.

"It gets better when your concentration is better," he said. "I wasn't
worried about how many balls I throw today. I was just testing my elbow and
arm. I'm sure next time it will be better. I'll be throwing more strikes and
more relaxing."

In spite of the loss, Las Vegas manager Jerry Royster was pleased with the
way his team handled playing against major league talent.

"I was totally impressed," Royster said. "The way they go about today's game
is how you bat against real major league pitchers. This guy will probably
pitch in the playoffs if they get in."

Royster said Chen's home run was particularly notable because it demonstrated
his growth as a batter.

"It's a situation where he had to be thinking along with him," Royster said.
"It wasn't just a guess and he hit a home run off a major league pitcher.
He'd seen some pitches, and he knows the guy's probably going to try and do
that to him. That's a good at-bat."
...............