Bees rally past Express

The Salt Lake Bees continued a not-too-impressive trend Thursday night at Franklin Covey Field. For the 13th time in the past 18 home games, the Bees gave up at least one run in the top of the first inning.

In fact, Round Rock scored three times before the first Bee came to the plate on Thursday.

This time, however, the Bees were able to recover, winning 5-4.

"After getting beat up the past two nights, to bounce back and to win a close one, that was good for us," said Bees manager Brian Harper.

Salt Lake improved to 68-50 with the victory to increase its lead in the Pacific Coast League Pacific Northern Division to 3 1/2 games over idle Tacoma. The PCL American Southern Division leading Express fell to 70-49.

"At this point of the season — with 26 games left after tonight and a three-game lead — every game is a big game," said Harper.

The Express scored three runs off of Bees starter Nathan Bland in the first, but the Salt Lake lefty settled down to last six innings while striking out five and surrendering just one additional run.

The Bees, meanwhile, scored a run in the first on an RBI single by Nick Gorneault and then took a 4-3 lead when Mike Eylward blasted a three-run homer to left in the third inning.

The Express knotted the game in the fourth and the game remained tied at 4 until the bottom of the seventh. The game-winning run was scored on a infield dribbler up the third-base line by Erick Aybar that scored Reggie Willits from third.

Bees reliever Jason Bulger, who just recently came off the disabled list, pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the victory, while Marcus Gwyn earned his third save of the season by pitching the final two innings.

"Marcus Gwyn threw outstanding and Jason Bulger, coming back off the D.L., looked a lot better tonight than his first outing and he did a great job," said Harper. "Our bullpen right now is pretty strong."

Salt Lake will now head out for a four-game trip against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

"Colorado Springs is hitting the ball really well right now and it's a good hitting ballpark," said Harper. "If our starters keep us in the game, we'll be all right."

BEES WAX: Bees reliever Chris Bootcheck has been recalled by the parent Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. To make room for Bootcheck, the Angels are sending outfielder Tommy Murphy back to the Bees . . . Reggie Willits' first-inning single extended his on-base streak to 27 games, the longest such active streak in the PCL. The longest on-base steak in the league this season is 29 games . . . Round Rock's Alan Zinter has a long history of playing against Salt Lake teams, having played against the Buzz, Stingers and Bees. Zinter, in fact, has 52 RBI against Salt Lake — the most of any opposing player in franchise history . . . Attendance for the game was 11, 206.

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