Pascucci powers Zephyrs' comeback

Valentino Pascucci didn't get off to the start he hoped for this season. But he's more than happy with the way he's finishing it.

Pascucci whacked three home runs and pinch-hitter John Rodriguez delivered a walk-off single in the 10th inning as the New Orleans Zephyrs rallied for an 8-7 win over the Tucson Sidewinders at Zephyr Field.

After the Sidewinders scored five times in the second inning, Pascucci got the Zephyrs on the board with a two-run shot in the fifth. He smacked a solo shot in the sixth and got his team within 6-5 in the eighth by crushing a two-run blast, his 25th.

It was Pascucci's third career three-homer game. The previous two came in 2004 while playing for Triple-A Edmonton of the Pacific Coast League.

"I felt a little off the last few games," said Pascucci, who homered once in his previous 10 contests. "I went into the cage before the game to get my timing back. I got a cutter and a few fastballs out over the plate that I was able to hit out."

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Anderson Hernandez tied the game at 6-6 with an RBI triple in the eighth, but Tucson regained the lead in the 10th on Frank Curreri's two-out run-scoring single.

Chris Aguila led off the bottom of the 10th with a double and, with a chance for a record-tying fourth homer, Pascucci walked. Michel Abreu tied it one out later with an RBI single and Rodriguez came through with a two-out base hit to give New Orleans (54-60) its third win in the four meetings with the Sidewinders (48-65).

Pascucci admitted he thought about a fourth homer when he came to the plate in the 10th.

"It entered my mind," he said. "I wanted a chance to do that and was hoping he [Aguila] would get on base. I was looking for something out over the plate, but they walked me."

The five RBIs were a season-high for Pascucci, who began the year with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. He hit .232 with one homer and seven RBIs in the International league before joining New Orleans.

In 88 games with the Zephyrs, the 29-year-old first baseman/outfielder is hitting .288 with 24 homers and 65 RBIs. The change of scenery turned around his season.

"They were losing a lot of games in Lehigh, so when I got here I was a little more comfortable," he said. "I played with some of these guys before and I've been more relaxed with the fresh start."

Last year, Pascucci led the Pacific Coast League with 34 homers, hitting .284 with 98 RBIs for the Albuquerque Isotopes.

"It was nice to bounce back," he said. "To pull out a win in an exciting game like this makes you feel better."

Pascucci became the 10th PCL player to hit three homers in a game this season and the fourth in seven days.

Ivan Maldonado (3-4) picked up the win, despite yielding one run on two hits and two walks while striking out two in two innings. Zephyrs starter Nelson Figueroa surrendered six runs on six hits and four walks with two strikeouts over 4 1/3 frames.

Micah Owings allowed three runs on four hits and three walks over six innings, fanning six, in his first start for Tucson. The 25-year-old right-hander went 6-9 with a 5.93 ERA in 22 games, including 18 starts, with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Dustin Glant (2-3) retired only two batters and was charged with two runs on three hits and a walk with one strikeout.

Jeff Salazar hit a grand slam and Jesus Merchan went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored for the Sidewinders.