Repko off to healthy start

He already proved he can play in the big leagues. Now Jason Repko just needs to prove he can stay healthy.

Repko, who missed all of last season with a torn left hamstring, looked healthy on Thursday, when he drilled a leadoff double and a go-ahead home run and scored all three runs for the 51s in their season-opening 6-3 loss to the Salt Lake Bees at Cashman Field.

"This is a great opportunity for me to come down here and prove my health again," said Repko, 27, who started in right field. "Hopefully I'll get a lot of playing time and keep proving myself and I'll get a chance to go back up."

Repko appeared in 198 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2005 and 2006 before suffering the latest in a long string of injuries last year.

A first-round draft pick of the Dodgers in 1999, Repko suffered a torn right hamstring and a broken vertebra on the right side of his back in 2000. In 2006, a high ankle sprain sidelined him for more than two months, and he also underwent foot surgery for plantar fasciitis.

"A lot of people say I'm injured all the time, but realistically I fractured my vertebra in 2000 and had a torn hamstring, and both of those are kind of linked," Repko said. "When you hurt your back, your hamstrings get tight, and vice versa. That's what led to this last hamstring tear."

Repko tore his hamstring off the bone and also had his wrist spiked by Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal in separate incidents in the same spring training game last year. Repko and Furcal nearly collided on a short fly ball between center field and shortstop.

"I got down low and slid, and he jumped up to catch it and happened to step on my wrist. He rolled his ankle, and that was it," Repko said. "Unfortunately, it bothered him the whole year. ... People collide every day."

Despite reports to the contrary, Repko didn't tear his hamstring on the play. That happened two innings later, when he chased down a ball to the gap in right-center field.

"It was a full-out sprint, and my left hammy blew out," said Repko, who endured a long rehabilitation process. "It definitely taught me patience and how to take care of my body better and get ready for the long haul of the season."

Repko since has changed his workout regimen to include yoga and pilates, and he also spends more time warming up and stretching his muscles.

After batting .350 with 14 RBIs in 40 spring training at-bats, Repko thought he had done enough to reclaim his Dodgers spot. With an option year remaining for Repko, though, he ended up being the odd man out in the outfield.

"My biggest thing (in spring training) was to prove my health, No. 1, and also prove I belong in the big leagues," Repko said. "I felt I hit both of those on the nose, but it was a numbers game, and I had to come back down here.

"I try to take pride in playing the game right and hard all the time. If I stay healthy, the rest of my game will take care of itself."

Las Vegas manager Lorenzo Bundy said Repko brings plenty of positives to the team. "He definitely adds a little fire to our ballclub, and he's going to be one of our leaders as long as he's here," Bundy said.

• NOTES -- Chan Ho Park missed his scheduled start for Las Vegas after the Dodgers purchased his contract Wednesday night. Miguel Pinango started in his place and allowed two runs in six innings. Brian Falkenborg blew the save and took the loss, allowing four runs in the ninth.