Jones’ first-inning slam fuels 51s’ blowout win

Mitch Jones hit a two-out grand slam in the first inning, and the Las Vegas 51s put up seven more runs in the third inning en route to a 14-5 Pacific Coast League victory over the host Colorado Springs Sky Sox on Monday night.

In the third inning, Andy LaRoche led off with a home run, and Ken Huckaby had a two-run double off Sky Sox starter Ubaldo Jimenez, who didn't make it out of the inning.

Travis Smith's RBI single in the fourth gave Las Vegas (2-3) a 12-0 lead, making things easy for 51s starter Travis Smith (1-0), who allowed two runs on six hits and two walks in five innings, with four strikeouts.

Colorado Springs (0-2) finally got on the board in Smith's final inning, on Sean Barker's RBI double and Seth Smith's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.

The 51s got their final two runs in the ninth. Larry Barnes had an RBI single, and Huckaby scored on a wild pitch.

Jimenez (0-1) allowed 11 runs -- nine earned -- on eight hits and five walks.

The two teams meet again today for the second game in their four-game series.