From Deseret News archives:
Sidewinders rally past Bees
Tucson grasps 1-0 lead in best-of-5 PCL playoffs
But his teammates couldn't close the door.
The Tucson Sidewinders rallied from a three-run deficit to down the Bees 4-3 in 11 innings in the opening game of their best-of-five Pacific Coast League playoff series.
Alberto Callaspo's two-out single in the 11th inning gave the Sidewinders yet another one-run victory over the Bees. It was the sixth one-run win for Tucson over Salt Lake this season, with five of them coming on the final at-bat for the Sidewinders.
Olenberger got the Bees off to an outstanding start. At his request, the Bees wore the yellow caps rarely seen during the regular season. The yellow caps were at least good for him. Olenberger pitched seven strong innings, giving up just two hits with no runs and two strikeouts.
Unfortunately, the Bees bullpen couldn't finish the job.
Salt Lake was up 3-0 entering the eighth inning, but the Sidewinders got to reliever Marcus Gwyn, scoring a pair of runs before the Bees could even record an out. The tying run was then scored off Salt Lake's Matt Willhite, when he gave up a run-scoring single to Robby Hammock. Bees closer Greg Jones came in to restore order and got the final out in the eighth and then hurled two shutout innings in the ninth and 10th.
In the 11th, however, Kenny Perez hit a one-out double and was later driven home from third on Callaspo's single to right.
The game started out as a pitcher's duel. The Bees broke up a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when first baseman Kendry Morales and third baseman Dallas McPherson hit back-to-back doubles off the wall in center. The score remained 1-0 until the eighth inning, when Salt Lake — aided by a pair of Tucson errors — plated a pair of unearned runs on a Mike Eylward single and a Casey Smith ground out.
Salt Lake's 3-0 lead was short-lived, however.
If there is a silver lining for Salt Lake, it's that the Bees have their top pitcher on the mound tonight in Dustin Moseley. The Bees also have the potential of playing three home games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, should the series go to five games.
BEES WAX: Tuscon manager Chip Hale, who played in 16 games in 1995 for the Salt Lake Buzz, was named the PCL's manager of the year for leading the Sidewinders to the best record in the league. ... The Nashville Sounds downed the Round Rock Express 4-0 in the PCL's other playoff series opener. ... Salt Lake is now 5-5 in the opening game of the PCL playoffs since Triple-A baseball returned to Utah in 1994.
E-mail: lojo@desnews.com
