O’Sullivan, comfy at home, helps 51s gain twinbill split

Cashman Field has long been considered a haven for hitters, but it's been a veritable pitcher's paradise for 51s right-hander Sean O'Sullivan.

The 24-year-old has been outstanding in five home starts, allowing six earned runs in 34 innings.

"You're always more comfortable when you're at home, no matter where that home is," said O'Sullivan, a San Diego native. "I consider myself a ground-ball pitcher and ground balls are great for this field. The grass cuts everything down. ... It's hard to get a ball through this infield."

O'Sullivan limited Iowa to two runs in five innings Sunday night to help Las Vegas clip the Cubs 3-2 in seven innings and salvage a split of an abbreviated doubleheader at Cashman.

Iowa outlasted Las Vegas 10-8 in the completion of Saturday's game, which was suspended because of rain with the Cubs leading 5-2 after four innings.

Iowa (45-77), which has the fewest wins in the minors, scored five runs in the first Saturday and five in the seventh Sunday before hanging on for its fourth win in 24 games.

"Offensively, we did enough to take both games," 51s manager Marty Brown said. "It's a shame. Two big innings killed us in the first game.

"It was nice to see O'Sullivan battle through five innings."

Acquired by the Blue Jays in a June 23 trade with Kansas City, O'Sullivan improved to 8-1 with a 2.27 ERA for Las Vegas (68-53), which took a 3-0 lead on a two-run homer by Luke Hughes and an RBI single by Brian Bocock.

O'Sullivan scattered three hits in four shutout innings before allowing two runs on four hits in the fifth.

Nate Samson hit a leadoff single and scored on a double by Alfredo Amezaga, who scored on a two-out single by Greg Rohan to make it 3-2. Blake Lalli followed with a single to left fielder Ricardo Nanita, who threw out Rohan at third to end the inning.

"That last inning was more poor pitch selection than anything," O'Sullivan said. "I threw some of the wrong pitches but the team did an awesome job behind me."

Closer Chad Beck escaped trouble in the final two innings to earn his 15th save. He gave up a two-out double to Diory Hernandez in the sixth before retiring Samson on a fly to right field. In the seventh he allowed a single by Amezaga and walked Jim Adduci with one out before retiring Rohan on a pop-out to catcher Ryan Eigsti and Lalli on a fly ball to left.

Aside from a complete collapse the rest of the way, the 51s will snap a string of 11 straight losing seasons by Toronto's Triple-A affiliate and finish with their first winning record since 2008.

They also have a shot at clinching their first playoff spot since 2002, but trail Pacific South Division-leading Sacramento by 6½ games with 22 to play. Las Vegas plays four road games against the River Cats from Aug. 18 to 21.

In the second game, Jonathan Diaz drew a walk to lead off the game and Hughes followed with a towering two-run shot to left-center field.

Hughes, signed as a minor-league free agent Aug. 1, tripled among his three hits in Sunday's opener and has hit safely in all nine games for the 51s.

Silverado High School product Mike McDade had two hits and three RBIs in the opener and tripled in the nightcap. He appeared to injure his left hamstring rounding second base and was replaced by Mark Sobolewski, who scored on a two-out single by Bocock, who was called up from Double-A New Hampshire.

■ NOTE - Toronto optioned right-hander David Carpenter to Las Vegas.

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