Bees rally to victory against River Cats

Salt Lake staged another dramatic come-from-behind victory Sunday at Franklin Covey Field — scoring twice in the eighth inning to tie the game and adding the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on a pair of doubles.

For the Bees, it was their ninth ninth-inning victory of the season and third of this homestand.

For Sacramento, whom the Bees play again after the three-day All-Star break, the loss, coupled with Saturday night's comeback, had to be disheartening.

"I think our hitters batted and our pitchers — even though they didn't have their best stuff — did battle to keep us in the game," said Juan Navarrete, who was managing the River Cats. "We weren't able to hold the lead — that was the key."

After striking out the first two batters he faced in the first, Salt Lake starter Dustin Moseley gave up a home run to Hiram Bocachinca but held the River Cats in check the next four innings as the Bees led 3-1 going into the sixth. That's when Moseley surrendered six hits and four runs as Sacramento sent 10 men to the plate. Bees reliever Matt Hensley surrendered another run and hit before getting the final out, and the Bees trailed 6-3.

"Dustin just got tired," Bees manager Brian Harper said. "But we kept the pressure on them."

Salt Lake added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Casey Smith drove in Jason Aspito, who had walked and advanced to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball. The Bees then tied the game at 6 in the eighth as Adam Pavkovich and Aspito both homered.

"I just told myself to stay relaxed and if I get the pitch to just go with it," Pavkovich said of his home run. "It's been a long grind, but we've been playing pretty well as a team."

Enter the Bees' Chris Bootcheck, who worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning, striking out the first batter he faced and forcing two infield ground balls for the final outs.

In the Bees' half of the ninth, Smith led off with a double to deep right field and Curtis Pride followed with a shot over the first baseman's head that skipped past the second baseman and rolled harmlessly into right field. Pride was almost to second base when Smith crossed the plate for the walkoff victory.

"We weren't able to execute," Navarrete said of the River Cats' loss. "Give credit to their hitters — they were ready for their pitch."

BEES WAX: After the three-day All-Star break, the Bees play a four-game series against the River Cats starting Thursday in Sacramento . . . The Bees lead the series with Sacramento this year 8-4 . . . Bees pitcher Chris Bootcheck won his 33rd game to pass LaTroy Hawkins for the all-time franchise lead . . . Attendance Sunday was 4,554 . . . Wednesday night's minor league All-Star Game in Toledo, Ohio, will begin at 6 p.m. and be broadcast on EPSN2 and on AM 1230.

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E-mail: jringwood@desnews.com