Laker Enjoys a Grand Start

In his first at-bat for the Nashville Sounds, catcher Tim Laker (Simi Valley High, Oxnard College) hit a grand slam to start the Pittsburgh Pirates’ triple-A affiliate on the way to a 10-4 victory over New Orleans in a Pacific Coast League game.

Laker, 28, started the season with triple-A Durham, moved up to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays late in May and was out of baseball for a few weeks before signing with the Sounds over the weekend.

Laker’s short stint with Tampa Bay marked his fifth trip to the major leagues. He appeared in 71 games with the Montreal Expos in 1992 and ’93 and after spending ’94 in triple-A, he stuck with the Expos the following year, batting .234 with three home runs in a backup role.

However, an injury sidelined him for the ’96 season. He was claimed on waivers by the Baltimore Orioles but played in only seven major league games last season. Laker was granted free agency in October and signed with the Devil Rays in December.

He batted .239 in 40 games with Durham this season, but hit 11 home runs. The grand slam Saturday was his 69th minor league home run.