Bees' bats boom vs. Omaha

Bees manager Brian Harper was right. You can't win in the Pacific Coast League by scoring two or three runs per game.

On Friday, Salt Lake snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 13-7 victory over Omaha at Franklin Covey Field — eclipsing three runs for the first time since July 19.

The breakout was especially pleasing for the Bees, who had scored just 13 runs during their skid.

"We scored about a week's worth today," Harper said. "It was good to see the guys swing the bats. We've got to do that. We've got to continue to do that."

Salt Lake, however, needed a rally to win the series finale in a slugfest featuring a combined 32 hits.

After giving up four runs in the seventh and falling behind 7-6, the Bees used a sacrifice fly from Mike Eylward and an RBI single by Greg Porter in the bottom of the inning to erase Omaha's only lead and prevail.

For good measure, Bobby Wilson doubled in a score, Adam Pavkovich added a two-run double before scoring on a fielder's choice and Porter contributed an RBI single in the eighth to cap things off.

Salt Lake led for most of the contest. The Bees built a 3-0 advantage over the first two innings on RBI singles by Kendry Morales and Pavkovich, whose attempt to steal second allowed Ryan Budde to score.

After Omaha pulled to within 3-2 in the third on run-scoring hits by Mike Aviles and Shane Costa, Salt Lake responded.

The Bees scored runs on a single by Eylward in the bottom of the inning and a leadoff homer from Matt Brown in the fourth to make it 5-2.

An inning later, another scoring exchange followed.

Aviles homered for the Royals and Porter retaliated with an RBI double for the Bees.

Leading 6-3, Salt Lake's fortunes unraveled in the seventh. Ryan Shealy, Matt Tupman, Derek Wathan and Chris Lubanski drove in runs to put Omaha on top.

The Bees then came back to salvage a lone victory in just their second series loss at home this season.

"We got a bunch of two-out hits that were big and then kind of broke it open," Harper said.

Salt Lake's homestand continues with a four-game series against Iowa. Bees RHP Henry Bonilla (7-6, 5.85 ERA) and Cubs RHP Cory Bailey (3-1, 3.20 ERA) are the scheduled starters in tonight's opener.

BEE LINES: Attendance was 7,062 ... KJZZ, Ch. 14 will televise four home games down the stretch — July 28, 29 against Iowa and Aug. 10, 12 against Portland ... Bill Hohn, who is on a major league rehab assignment recovering from a back injury, was the home plate umpire.

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E-mail: dirk@desnews.com