51s jump to early lead, roll to 10-3 win at Salt Lake

After spotting the Salt Lake Bees big leads in the first two games of the series, only to see rallies fall just short, the 51s tried another approach Wednesday, jumping to a 5-1 lead after the first inning.

Las Vegas added a run in the fourth and four in the ninth to salvage a 10-3 victory in the series finale at Salt Lake City.

Darren Mastroianni led off the game with a home run, shortstop Chris Woodward went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, and David Cooper had three hits and two RBIs for the 51s (46-40). Kevin Howard hit a three-run homer to put the game away in the ninth.

Starting pitcher Kyle Drabek had another solid outing for Las Vegas, allowing three runs in six innings while walking one and striking out eight to even his record at 1-1 since being sent down by Toronto.

Sean Henn pitched two hitless innings of relief for the 51s, and Danny Farquhar worked a scoreless ninth after Las Vegas put the game out of reach with four runs in the top of the inning.

The Bees (39-48) were still within striking distance, trailing 6-3, before Woodward drove in a run with a single and Howard lofted a three-run shot to right field, his fifth homer of the season.

Las Vegas, which dropped the first two games of the series 10-9 and 7-6, had 17 hits in the victory.

The 51s open a four-game series today against the Sacramento River Cats at Cashman Field.

SACRAMENTO RIVER CATS AT 51S

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. today, Friday; 6:05 p.m. Saturday (doubleheader)

WHERE: Cashman Field

RECORDS: River Cats (50-36); 51s (46-40)

AFFILIATIONS: Sacramento, Oakland Athletics; Las Vegas, Toronto Blue Jays

TODAY’S PITCHERS: River Cats LHP Lenny DiNardo (2-5, 8.74 ERA) vs. 51s RHP Scott Richmond (5-6, 6.30)

RADIO: KBAD-AM (920)

SERIES NOTES: The second-place 51s trail the first-place River Cats by four games in the Pacific Coast League’s Pacific South division. Sacramento lost its franchise-record ninth straight game in Wednesday’s 7-6 setback at Fresno. The River Cats have claimed four straight division titles and also captured four PCL crowns (2003, 2004, 2007, 2008). … Sacramento features Oakland’s No. 10 prospect, as ranked by Baseball America, in outfielder Michael Taylor. It also features infielder Andy LaRoche, who played parts of three seasons for the 51s from 2006 to 2008. … Following Saturday’s doubleheader, which will feature two seven-inning games separated by a 30-minute intermission, Las Vegas will be off Sunday to Wednesday for the Triple-A All-Star break. The 51s will resume play Thursday against the Tucson Padres in a four-game series that will take place in Fort Wayne, Ind., at Parkview Field — home of the Fort Wayne Tincaps, Class-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. … The Triple-A All-Star Game between the PCL and International League will be played Wednesday at Spring Mobile Ballpark, home of the Salt Lake Bees. The game will be televised live at 6 p.m. on MLB Network (314). … First baseman David Cooper and left-handed pitcher Brad Mills will represent Las Vegas in the All-Star Game. Cooper leads the PCL in batting (.374) and doubles (34). Mills, who will start for the PCL, is 7-6 and third in the league in ERA (3.64). … In recent transactions, catcher Yan Gomes and designated hitter Ricardo Nanita were promoted to the 51s from Double-A New Hampshire, and outfielder Darin Mastroianni was activated from the disabled list by Las Vegas. 51s catcher Ryan Budde was placed on the DL, and outfielder Travis Snider and utilityman Mike McCoy were promoted to Toronto.

TODD DEWEY / LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL