Pollok pitches in with productive start for 51s

51s right-hander Dwayne Pollok doesn't get many chances to start, but he showed Sunday he can be as effective in the rotation as in relief.

Pollok pitched six strong innings in his third start of the season, leading the 51s to a 7-4 victory over the Tucson Sidewinders at Cashman Field.

"I just try to go out there and do the same thing every time, whether it be relieving or starting," said Pollok, who had never pitched more than five innings in a start. "If they want me to start, I can do that, or long relief, or short relief, whatever."

Pollok, 27, allowed nine hits, struck out four and walked none. He finished his stint by getting Tucson's Phil Avlas to ground into a double play.

Pollok is 4-1 with a 3.56 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 48 innings. After making 15 relief appearances to begin the season, his first start came against Fresno on May 25 at Cashman Field when he allowed two hits and an unearned run in five innings.

He hadn't pitched since allowing four runs in 4 2/3 innings at Portland on May 31.

"Our pitching coach, Jim Slaton, has been keeping me up in the bullpen, working on stuff every day," Pollok said. "I've just tried to stay sharp and be ready to go."

Pollok mixed a sinking fastball with a slider, split-fingered fastball and an occasional changeup. He threw 48 of 66 pitches for strikes and went to a three-ball count on only one batter. Pollok needed only 40 pitches to get through the first four innings.

"He's a strike thrower," said 51s manager Lorenzo Bundy. "That's what he does best. He gets outs quickly. You don't have to worry about him in terms of command."

Pollok allowed a two-run homer to Jamie D'Antona with two outs in the first inning, then retired nine of the next 10 hitters. He raised his home record to 3-0.

"It feels good to help the guys out in the bullpen, going multiple innings and giving them the rest that they need," Pollok said. "It's going to help us out in the long run."

After four seasons in the Chicago White Sox organization, Pollok was acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade on May 26, 2007. He has been almost exclusively a reliever; of his 257 appearances, only nine are starts.

"He's better in a long (relief) role," Bundy said. "He has closed before. His niche is a middle guy, but down here he's been very good for us. He has taken his role and done a very nice job."

Las Vegas took the lead for good with a three-run second inning, capped by Wilkin Ruan's two-out RBI single.

John-Ford Griffin added a two-out RBI single in the third, and Ruan and Angel Chavez drove in runs with two-out hits in the fourth.

Pollok exited after six innings with a 7-3 lead, but Tucson got a run in the seventh and loaded the bases with one out in the eighth before closer Brian Falkenborg retired the final five batters.

• NOTES -- The 51s won three of four games in the series. ... 51s shortstop Francisco Lizarraga, who appeared to injure his leg late in Saturday's game, started Sunday but was replaced after three innings. ... Griffin had his fifth straight multi-hit game at home, going 2-for-4 to raise his average at Cashman Field to .356. Griffin is hitting .208 on the road.