51s’ get 8-1 victory over Salt Lake at Smith’s Ballpark

SALT LAKE CITY — Saturday, the 51s erupted for six runs in the fifth inning capped by an Eric Campbell three-run home run.

Sunday, almost the exact same thing happened, though it was in the third inning and Gavin Cecchini was at the plate.

That six-run inning was more than enough for Sean Gilmartin, who pitched seven innings of one-run ball in the 51s’ 8-1 victory over Salt Lake at Smith’s Ballpark.

Gilmartin’s outing marked the first time he had thrown seven innings in back-to-back starts and just the third time this season he had reached seven innings.

“I’m just basically being aggressive in the strike zone not trying to nitpick on the corners or anything like that,” Gilmartin said. “I’m basically working the inner third and outer third with my fastball and then working off my fastball so being really aggressive within the strike zone, trying to make hitters swing early in the count and it’s been paying off.”

Gilmartin got knocked around in a couple starts earlier in the month and Backman said he and pitching coach Frank Viola talked to the starter about staying focused.

“He had those rough outings and I really believe that he just lost focus,” Backman said. “I think that he would maybe admit to that.”

But since the talk, Backman has seen a change in the starter and credited Gilmartin for staying focused throughout the sixth inning in which he had to essentially get five outs.

The first runner of the inning reached after two outfielders converged on a pop up and neither caught it; the second after Cecchini looked toward third on a play and wound up having to hold onto the ball.

“It’s easy for that inning to kind of get away from you because you made your pitches and you’re kind of thinking to yourself ‘Shoot, what else do I have to do?’ I got the pitches that I wanted to make and I got the result, just didn’t get the outs,” Gilmartin said.

But he didn’t let it rattle him.

After surrendering a run and loading the bases, the lefty wound up striking out Cal Towey looking.

That run was of no consequence as the 51s (36-33) had built a 7-0 lead prior to that point.

Catcher Travis d’Arnaud, playing for Las Vegas on a rehab assignment, went 2-for-4 and third baseman Danny Muno and Cecchini also added two hits in the game.

The 51s added a run apiece in both the fourth and ninth but like the day before, a bulk of their damage was confined to one inning.

“Good pitching and some timely hitting, one big inning with timely hitting, sometimes that’s all it takes,” Backman said.

Betsy Helfand can be reached at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @BetsyHelfand