Koplove standing tall on mound

Wearing a tattered, faded green Philadelphia Eagles T-shirt, relief pitcher Mike Koplove was one of the first players to leave the Cashman Field clubhouse after the 51s' 6-4 loss to Portland on Sunday.

Koplove wasn't upset with his performance. In fact, he allowed only one hit in three otherwise perfect innings to trim his ERA to a miniscule 0.61.

The Philadelphian was just in a hurry to catch the start of the NBA playoff game between his hometown 76ers and the favored Detroit Pistons.

Like the Sixers this season, the 31-year-old Koplove always has been a bit of an underdog. A 29th-round draft pick in 1998 by the Arizona Diamondbacks, the 5-foot-11-inch, 175-pound sinkerballer doesn't strike an imposing presence on the mound.

"I've always kind of pitched with that in mind, that I have to prove myself no matter where I am," Koplove said. "I'm not a big guy and I don't throw overly hard, but I compete out there and try to be aggressive and throw strikes."

Koplove has allowed one run and five hits in 14 2/3 innings this season, with nine strikeouts and three walks.

"Koppy's been great," 51s manager Lorenzo Bundy said. "He's been very aggressive, he's a fierce competitor and he believes in himself. He's on a mission to try to get back to the big leagues, like a bunch of guys here."

Koplove has extensive big league experience, going 15-7 with a 3.82 ERA in 222 games over the past seven seasons.

He pitched for the Diamondbacks from 2001 to 2006 and appeared in five games for the Cleveland Indians last year. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a minor league free agent in the offseason.

Entering this year, Koplove was 29-17 with a 3.03 ERA in 299 minor league appearances, with 400 strikeouts in 415 1/3 innings. He spent most of last season with Buffalo of the International League, going 4-2 with 14 saves and a 2.50 ERA in 51 games.

"I told myself, no matter where I was this season, to not be tentative and to trust I've got good enough stuff to get guys out," he said. "I don't have any control over what goes on at the big league level. All I can do is make myself ready and available, and put myself in position to be a guy they would consider."

Despite Sunday's loss, the 51s (12-11) went 6-2 on their homestand and head to Albuquerque today tied for first place in their division.

After scoring 38 runs on 51 hits in three wins over Portland, Las Vegas was held to four runs on eight hits Sunday. Jon Meloan (2-1) took his first loss, giving up four runs -- three earned -- on four hits and five walks in four innings.

Four 51s pitchers issued nine walks, and four Beavers scored after drawing a walk.

• NOTES -- Las Vegas is 0-7 against PCL-leading Salt Lake and 12-4 against the rest of the league. Salt Lake climbed to 21-1 Sunday with its 13th win in a row. ... 51s third baseman-left fielder Terry Tiffee was 2-for-3, lifting his league-leading average to .483. ... Third baseman Luis Maza walked as a pinch hitter in the ninth, preserving his 13-game hitting streak. He is hitting .455 (25-for-55) during the streak and .400 overall. ... First baseman John Lindsey, hitting .377, has an eight-game hitting streak.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.