Salt Lake Bees: Long ball dooms team again

A season that started with record-breaking promise is about to come to an inglorious halt tonight if the Salt Lake Bees pitchers can't figure out a way to keep the Sacramento River Cats from going deep with startling regularity.

"We picked a bad time to play one of the worst games we've played all year," said Bees manager Bobby Mitchell after his team's 13-5 loss Friday night at Franklin Covey Field.

The River Cats, for the second night in a row in two different ballparks, pounded five home runs against Bees. The win gives Sacramento a 2-1 lead in the best-of-5 PCL Pacific Conference finals. The Bees, who started the season on a 21-1 roll, need to win both tonight's Game 4 and then again in Game 5 on Sunday afternoon or their season will end on a down note.

Bees outfielders spent much of the night chasing balls that cleared their heads and went over the fence.

"The home run ball is killing us," said Mitchell. "You're not going to win too many games giving up five a night and 10 in two games."

It's not like hitting five blasts in a game is a common occurrence — even for the River Cats' potent offense. In fact, Sacramento never had five homers in a game during its entire 144-game regular season. They pounded four in a game just twice all year.

"They have hit every mistake that we've thrown up there," said Bees catcher Bobby Wilson. "They have yet to miss one. It's kind of been tough luck. ... It's frustrating because we wanted to come home and do something for the fans — at least put up a good effort."

Shane Loux got the start for the Bees, but the PCL's pitcher of the year wasn't as sharp as usual. His second pitch, in fact, was pounded over the right-field fence by Sacramento lead-off hitter Chris Denorfia.

Loux, who has been called up to the parent Los Angeles Angels and was with the Bees on a rehab assignment after oral surgery, gave up a pair of homers in his three innings of work. Giancarlo Alvarado then surrendered three homers of his own in three-plus innings of work and the rout was on for the visitors from California's capital city.

Giving up homers was not the only problem for Salt Lake. The Bees may be one-step away from the majors, but their defense looked more little league in caliber during one particular batter with two outs in the fifth inning.