Bees all the buzz in return home

Welcome back, Bees.

After 11 days away from Franklin Covey Field — the longest stretch of the season — the Pacific Northern Division leaders treated the fans to an exciting 11-9 victory over the Tucson Sidewinders Friday.

Casey Smith and Erick Aybar both hit solo shots in the eighth inning to break a 9-9 tie. Smith, who was 2-for-4 with a double, extended his hitting streak to 11 games. He also had a nice diving stop in the fourth to save two runs.

Salt Lake — winner of five straight — tied the game on a two-run homer by Curtis Pride — his seventh of the season.

The home runs erased a fifth-inning meltdown on the mound by reliever Jeff Heaverlo. He gave up three singles and two doubles on his way to five earned runs.

Matt Wilhite (5-2) fared much better. The side-armer pitched two no-hit innings for the victory. Matt Hensley earned his first save since coming off the disabled list in June. The Bees' Jason crushed a two-run shot in the second inning into the trees.

It was his 14th of the year, counting 11 with Double-A Arkansas. In all, Salt Lake pounded out 12 hits. Surprisingly none came from the Bees' No. 4 and 5 hitters, Dallas McPherson and Mike Eylward. They combined to go 0-for-8 with six strikeouts.

Bees starter Kasey Olenberger struggled with his control (four walks and 99 pitches in just five innings of work), but he kept the Bees in the game.

Just two of his four runs allowed were earned, and he got out of a big jam in the fourth with blow-it-by-them strikeout and a groundout.

The Sidewinders got their first three runs thanks to some bad fielding by Bees left fielder Curtis Pride. Fighting the sun, Pride dropped a fly ball for a two-base error. It eventually led to two unearned runs. In the second, he flat-out lost fly ball hit by shortstop Alberto Callaspo, who turned it into a run-scoring triple. That gave the Sidewinders a 3-0 advantage. Jon Weber hit a solo-shot to right field in the fourth inning for Tucson.

Miguel Montero and Chris Carter both had solid days, driving in three each.

BEESWAX: Chris Bootcheck was recalled by the Angels Friday. Outfielder Tommy Murphy was sent back down to Salt Lake to make room on the roster. Murphy responded, going 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. . . . Tucson had won five straight against the Bees. Friday's win was Salt Lake's first against the Sidewinders since an 8-5 win on April 20.

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E-mail: amorton@desnews.com