Big League Weekend, 51s’ schedule set

The teams will meet at 7:15 p.m. on March 28 and 1:05 p.m. on March 29.

The Cubs and Mariners split two sold-out games during this year’s Big League Weekend, attracting 23,220 fans.

The 51s will open their 26th Pacific Coast League season April 3 at home against the Salt Lake Bees, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.

• COACHING CHANGE — Ex-Dodgers pitcher Ken Howell is returning to Los Angeles as its bullpen coach after spending last season as the 51s’ pitching coach. Las Vegas has yet to name his replacement.

“Kenny’s a very good pitching coach. If he’s not going to be pitching coach in L.A., (bullpen coach) is the next best thing,” 51s manager Lorenzo Bundy said. “He has relationships with a lot of those (pitchers).”

• BUNDY BUMPED — Bundy guided Hermosillo to the Mexican Pacific League championship last year, but the team fired him recently after a 9-10 start, including losses in nine of its last 10 games.

“What have you done for me lately? That’s the way it is down there,” Bundy said from his home in Tucson, Ariz. “Six of eight managers down there have been fired, so I don’t feel bad. It’s been a blessing in disguise.”

Bundy, who is married and has a 14-year-old daughter, said he’ll be able to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas at home for only the second time in 15 years.

• GOLDEN BOYS — 51s players Andy LaRoche and Delwyn Young, two of the Dodgers’ top prospects, helped Team USA win its first gold medal in 33 years at the IBAF World Cup on Nov. 18 in Taipei City, Taiwan.

LaRoche and Young each went 2-for-5 in the title game as the United States (9-1) beat Cuba, 6-3.

“That’s a real special victory they got over there. Not many people get a chance to represent their country,” Bundy said. “There’s a lot of pressure, but they went over there and did the job.”