RedBirds give Bees first home shutout

A pitcher's duel at Franklin Covey Field?

Such was the case Friday. Oklahoma pitcher John Wasdin threw a complete-game shutout as the RedHawks handed the Salt Lake Bees a 2-0 setback.

"It just shows that if you make your pitches it doesn't matter where you're at," Bees manager Brian Harper said. "If a pitcher is making good pitches you're going to get batters out."

Wasdin threw 108 pitches while giving up just six hits. He finished with eight strikeouts and walked only two.

"Wasdin pitched a great game," said Harper, who noted that the righthander's breaking ball led to plenty of strikes. "He was in complete command."

The lone offense in the game came on solo homers in the first and ninth innings. Ian Kinsler got things started with a blast to left field. It was the lone run Salt Lake starter Joe Saunders surrendered in eight complete innings.

"It's a tough loss for Joe. You give up one run in a game and you expect to win," Harper said. "It just didn't happen. We didn't really get anything going."

Reggie Willits, Kendry Morales and Curtis Pride had Salt Lake's only hits. Willits finished with three and Morales two.

It wasn't enough to prevent the Bees from being shutout at home for the first time in 2006.

Oklahoma, meanwhile, interrupted the string of zeroes on the scoreboard by clubbing a late homer. Jason Botts sent an offering by Salt Lake reliever Chris Bootcheck over the right-field fence to cap all scoring in the contest.

The Bees and RedHawks combined for 15 hits and stranded 12 baserunners in the shortest game (two hours, six minutes) at Franklin Covey this season.

The series continues tonight at 6:30. Salt Lake RHP Kasey Olenberger (3-0, 2.20 ERA) and Oklahoma LHP Derek Lee (0-1, 3.28 ERA) are the scheduled starters.

BEES WAX: The longest Bees hitting streak of the year came to an end after 13 games. Catcher Jeff Mathis went 0-for-4 . . . Salt Lake designated hitter Ryan Budde's father Harlan is the director of facility operations for Oklahoma . . . Former Salt Lake Stingers Tom Gregorio and Jamie Burke started for the RedHawks Friday . . . Attendance was 5,366.

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E-mail: dirk@desnews.com