Pinango making fast impression on 51s

Miguel Pinango has emerged as one of the few bright spots this season on an otherwise porous 51s pitching staff — one that allowed 19 hits during a 12-7 loss to Tucson on Wednesday night at Cashman Field.

The 24-year-old Venezuelan right-hander, who will start tonight against the Sidewinders, is 2-3 with a 3.86 ERA in nine starts for Las Vegas since being promoted from Class-A Inland Empire on May 12.

“Miguel Pinango came out of nowhere to step right into the rotation,” 51s manager Lorenzo Bundy said.

Despite having no Triple-A experience before this year, the hard-working Pinango said he isn’t surprised by his success.

“I really did expect to pitch as good as I have,” he said through an interpreter. “But I want to pitch even better.”

Pinango, who signed with the New York Mets at age 16, didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. He hurled a no-hitter last season in a seven-inning game for Double-A Binghamton and is armed with an above-average changeup.

“His changeup is so good, he can do a lot of things backwards in the count, which makes him a lot more effective,” 51s pitching coach Ken Howell said. “He’s not a one-dimensional pitcher where he’s just relying on his fastball. He commands his changeup as well as his fastball.”

Pinango spent six seasons in rookie ball and Class A before making the leap to Double A last year. The 6-foot-1-inch, 190-pounder went 10-7 with a 4.44 ERA in a career-high 152 innings in 2006.

He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in the offseason and said he has improved by “more than 50 percent” since last year.

“I get a lot of outs with my changeup, but I’m focusing more on location on both sides of the plate,” Pinango said. “Our catchers have helped me out quite a bit, especially because they’re older. I’m working hard each and every day, and that’s made a lot of difference.”

Howell said Pinango has quickly put himself on the Dodgers’ radar.

“He’s performed very well at this level and I think he’s opened up some eyes in the organization,” Howell said. “I think he has the ability to pitch in the big leagues soon.”

• NOTES — Tucson outfielder Dave Krynzel, a Green Valley High School graduate, is on the Sidewinders’ restricted list. The 11th overall pick of the 2000 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, Krynzel was on Tucson’s temporary inactive list from April 20 to May 30 before returning to action. He was moved to the restricted list on June 19 and hit .232 in 23 games this season. … Las Vegas shortstop Wilson Valdez lined a first-inning single to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, and outfielder Choo Freeman drilled a sixth-inning double to run his hitting streak to 10 games. … 51s outfielder Delwyn Young went 5-for-5 with three doubles and leads the Pacific Coast League with 28 two-base hits.