Tucson belts 5 homers in win over woeful Stingers

It was yet another night of home-run derby Wednesday at Franklin Covey Field, and yet another loss for the Stingers.

The Tucson Sidewinders pounded five balls out of the park, accounting for most of their runs in a 14-10 victory over Salt Lake.

"We got long-balled tonight," Salt Lake manager Mike Brumley said. "What did they have, six? That was quite a display."

It was "only" five, but that was enough.

Salt Lake starter Jason Middlebrook gave up three of those homers, giving him 30 for the season and making him the single-season franchise record-holder in that category.

Just one more dubious record in a season of dubious achievements.

As has been the case for much of this season, the Stingers' offense did its job, but the pitching staff failed to keep pace. Despite the final score, though, Brumley didn't think his pitchers suffered a total meltdown.

"We were making some good pitches and it seemed we'd hang that one pitch, and they didn't miss it tonight," he said.

Casey Smith got the Stingers off to a lead with a deep solo home-run to left in the first inning, in his first at-bat since returning from Double-A Arkansas. Salt Lake increased its lead to 2-0 in the second on a single by Alex Pelaez, a groundout and a run-scoring single by Tom Gregorio.

But the Stingers' lead was short-lived, as the Sidewinders scored one in the third and three in the fourth to go ahead 4-2. Salt Lake tied it in the bottom of the fourth with three singles and a two-run double by Jake Thrower, but Tucson responded with four runs in each of the next two innings to take the lead for good.

Alex Pelaez had a solid night for Salt Lake, going 4-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Nick Gorneault, fresh up from Arkansas, homered and drove in three runs in his Stinger debut. And Thrower knocked in a couple of runs.

The series concludes tonight at 7 with Jake Woods (5-4, 6.39 ERA) on the mound for Salt Lake, opposed by Jon Cannon (9-7, 4.12).

NOTES: Salt Lake pitcher Scott Dunn was told after the game that he's been called up by Anaheim. He was 10-4 with an ERA of 3.21, good numbers for a team 31 games under .500 . . . Brian Gordon struck out twice, giving him 137 for the season, one shy of the franchise record of 138.

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E-mail: rich@desnews.com

Beelines

• Key inning: Tucson scores four in the fifth to take the lead for good

• Key stat: The Sidewinders belt five homers

• Top performance: Tucson's Craig Ansman hits two two-run homers

• Record: 54-85

• Up next: Today vs. Tucson, 7 p.m., Franklin Covey Field

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