Atkins throws quality start as 51s blank Oklahoma City

The 51s pitching staff has gone through its hardships this year.

Entering Thursday, the 51s sported a 5.73 team ERA, worst in the Pacific Coast League.

But the team has been playing better of late and that’s thanks in part to solid pitching performances.

Thursday, it was Mitch Atkins’ turn. The 51s got another quality outing from Atkins, who tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings as they beat Oklahoma City 4-0 at Cashman Field in the first game of a four-game set.

Las Vegas pitchers have now recorded three shutouts in less than a week.

“I think that finally we realized how important it is to throw fastballs and not only just to throw fastballs, just to locate the fastballs to both sides of the plate. They’ve done that,” manager Pedro Lopez said. “I think the catchers (Xorge) Carrillo and (Kevin) Plawecki, they’ve done a tremendous job at calling the game and trying to follow the game plan and it’s paid off for us lately.”

Thursday marked Atkins’ only scoreless outing of the year, and his longest.

“I had three pitches working well,” Atkins said. “Fastball, curveball and cutter. My changeup didn’t feel good at all but you can pitch with three pitches and mix. I was able to locate my fastball in and out so it was just kind of keeping the hitters off balance.”

His last two starts have been his best this season with Las Vegas (42-69). In his last outing, he also turned in a quality start, limiting Nashville to just one run in seven innings.

“(I’ve) just been working hard in the bullpen,” he said. “(I) found something that kind of clicked and I was able to carry it over into the game. When you’re aggressive like that you’re just able to make pitches. … The defense has been playing good behind me. It just kind of goes hand in hand together.

Atkins said he had been trying to get a feeling for his release point in his bullpens.

“Before these last two starts, something kind of clicked,” Atkins said. “I was just able to run with it and stay focused on doing that in a game.”

Atkins left in the eighth inning with two runners on, but Alberto Baldonado was able to come in and shut the door by getting Henry Ramos to ground out to end the threat.

Throughout his outing, Atkins was pitching with a lead as the 51s struck immediately off of Dodgers (58-51) starter Fabio Castillo.

Plawecki drove in Matt Reynolds with an RBI double with two outs in the first and Phillip Evans padded the lead, driving in two runs later in the inning.

Travis Taijeron added on in the fifth inning with his 21st home run of the season as the 51s won their fourth of five games on the homestand.

“This is a different ball club. It might be the same guys,” Lopez said. “We have some new faces but … it’s the same club but we’re definitely playing a lot better now.”

Up next

■ Who:Oklahoma City Dodgers at 51s

■ When: 7:05 p.m. today

■ Where: Cashman Field

■ Starters: Eddie Gamboa (6-5, 6.49 ERA) vs. Jonathan Albaladejo (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Next five

■ Saturday: Oklahoma City at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.

■ Sunday: Oklahoma City at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.

■ Monday: Reno at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.

■ Tuesday:Reno at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.

■ Wednesday: Reno at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.

Update

Matt Reynolds, who was optioned by the Mets on Tuesday, was active for the 51s on Thursday. Ben Rowen was activated from the temporarily inactive list after the birth of his daughter. Logan Taylor was activated from the disabled list after a concussion last month, while Beck Wheeler was placed on the disabled list retroactive to Tuesday.

Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.