LAS VEGAS: The Las Vegas 51s professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL), Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets, will begin their 31st season of play in the Silver State against Southern Division rival, the Sacramento River Cats, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland A's, on Thursday, April 4 at Raley Field in Sacramento, Calif., at 7:05 p.m. The 51s will begin the 2013 season with a eight-game Northern California road trip against the River Cats (April 4-7) and the Fresno Grizzlies, Triple-Affiliate of the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants, in a four-game series from Monday-Thursday, April 8-11.

Las Vegas will then host the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, Triple-A affiliate of Colorado Rockies, in the home opener on Friday, April 12 at Cashman Field at 7:05 p.m.

The 51s, which will begin their first season as the top farm club of the Mets, compiled an overall record of 79-64 (.552) in 2012 and finished in second place in the Pacific Conference Southern Division, 6.5 games behind Sacramento. Las Vegas compiled the fifth-best overall record in the 16-team PCL.

The 144-game schedule (72 home, 72 road) will once again feature many promotional nights that will include 51s & Mets giveaways, Budweiser Dollar Beer Nights, Kids Carnival and highlighted by the traditional "Fireworks Extravaganza" on Wednesday, July 3rd at Cashman Field.

The Las Vegas franchise reached the 300,000 plateau in attendance at Cashman Field for the 30th consecutive season (1983-2012). In 71 dates, Las Vegas' total was 311,516 for an average of 4,388 that included three sellouts. The all-time attendance total now stands at 9,986,514 and the Las Vegas franchise will welcome the "10th Millionth Fan" to the ballpark during the opening homestand of 2013.

In 2012, Minor League Baseball remained an attractive form of affordable family entertainment. The 15 leagues and 176 clubs drew 41,279,382 regular season fans and it represented an increase over 2011. It also marked the eighth year in a row that the industry topped 41 million fans. Minor League Baseball set an all-time attendance record for five straight seasons (2004-08).

The 51s will host the Southern Division of the Pacific Conference opponents: the Fresno Grizzlies (San Francisco Giants), Sacramento River Cats (Oakland A's) and Tucson Padres (San Diego Padres) for eight games each. The 51s will also host the Northern Division (Pacific Conference) for eight games each: Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Colorado Rockies), the defending PCL Champion the Reno Aces (Arizona Diamondbacks), Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) and Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners).

The Southern Division opponents of the American Conference comprised of the Albuquerque Isotopes (Los Angeles Dodgers), New Orleans Zephyrs (Miami Marlins), Oklahoma City RedHawks (Houston Astros) and Round Rock Express (Texas Rangers) will visit Cashman Field for four games each.

The 51s will travel to the Northern Division opponents of the American Conference comprised of the Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs), Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals), Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers) and Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals) for four games each.

2013 season tickets and mini-plan packages (10 & 10-Games You Pick'em, 20, 33-game plans) are available by calling the 51s office at (702) 798-7825. Individual game tickets for the 72-game home schedule will go on sale in March.

All standard home night games during the 2013 season will begin at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday games at 12:05 p.m. (April, May, June) and 7:05 p.m. (July, August, September).