At least April ends well for 51s

Desperately in need of a boost, the 51s got a big one from the bat of J.P. Arencibia.

The first three weeks of the season brought mostly misery for Las Vegas, and Arencibia, the team's top prospect, was stuck in a funk with everyone else.

But some of that changed Thursday when the 23-year-old catcher doubled in the winning run in the 11th inning to lift the 51s over Salt Lake, 4-3 at Cashman Field.

"We just need a couple breaks here and there," Las Vegas manager Mike Basso said. "We need to find our way and get going."

The 51s (6-14) are still last in the 16-team Pacific Coast League, but they ended April on a high.

Howie Clark's three-run homer in the eighth pulled Las Vegas even, and Jeremy Accardo and Jonah Bayliss (3-0) combined for three innings of scoreless relief.

Accardo pitched two hitless innings. Bayliss, who worked the 11th, hasn't allowed an earned run in 15 innings this season.

For seven innings the 51s were shut down by Salt Lake right-hander Brad Knox, who allowed six hits. But reliever Kevin Jepsen blew the Bees' 3-0 lead in the eighth, giving up singles to Scott Campbell and Buck Coats before Clark connected for his second home run of the season.

Brett Harper singled to lead off the bottom of the 11th, and Jason Lane put down a sacrifice bunt to move pinch runner Russ Adams to second.

Arencibia lifted a high drive that bounced to the right-center wall and scored Adams.

Arencibia, who went 1-for-5, is batting .224. Last year he hit .315 in 59 games for Single-A Dunedin and .282 in 67 games for Double-A New Hampshire.

Basso said Arencibia is due to hit a groove offensively, and the 51s need more production from him as well as others.

Las Vegas has been slow to get up to speed in its first season as the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. But Basso isn't panicking.

"Everybody is doing their work, everybody is upbeat and everybody has a sense of urgency," he said. "We need to keep playing. Fortunately for us there's a game every day.

"If the guys weren't giving me the effort or doing what they're supposed to, then I'd be upset. But the effort is there."

Fabio Castro, a left-hander called up from New Hampshire on Wednesday, allowed three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in his first start for the 51s. He walked three and struck out five.

• NOTES -- Harper was 3-for-5, lifting his average to .338. ... The Blue Jays optioned left-hander Brian Burres and right-hander Bryan Bullington to Las Vegas.