Salt Lake Bees making a habit of last-at-bat victories

SALT LAKE CITY — You've got to hand it to the 2010 version of the Salt Lake Bees. They sure enjoy providing drama for the hometown crowd.

The Bees, for the second night in a row and the fifth time in their last seven home games, won on their final at-bat on Sunday afternoon at Spring Mobile Ballpark. This time second baseman Nate Sutton was the hero, scoring the tying run in the ninth inning and then driving in the game-winning run in the 10th to give the Bees a 6-5 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies.

"There is no give up on this team," said Sutton.

Added Bees manager Bobby Mitchell, "We know that we can comeback and it's almost like a character builder. The more that you do it, the more you believe in yourself and the better chance of doing it again."

Still, a wire-to-wire victory once in awhile would also be nice.

"There would be a lot less stress and fewer gray hairs," said Sutton.

The Bees actually fell behind 5-0 before rallying to score the final six runs of the game. The victory improves the Bees to a season-best three-games above .500 at 26-23. Fresno, owners of the best record in the Pacific Coast League, fell to 32-18 with the loss.

Sutton actually had gone 0-for-4 and had stranded six base runners through the first eight innings. He was one of three Bees who struck out with the bases loaded in the third inning as Salt Lake squandered a golden opportunity to get on the scoreboard.

But by the end of the eighth inning the Bees had pulled two within one, at 5-4. Sutton then led off the bottom of the ninth with a triple down the third-base line. He then scored the game-tying run on a single Cory Aldridge. The Bees failed to punch another run through, however, sending the game to the 10th.

After a lead-off walk to Ryan Budde, a sacrifice bunt by Gary Patchett and an intentional walk to Peter Bourjos, it was Sutton's turn once again. The left-handed hitter fouled off the first pitch he saw, then lined a solid single to right on the second pitch from Fresno lefty Gino Espineli and Budde came around to score the winning run from second.

"Nate was awesome," said Mitchell. "Our lefties can hit lefties. They've done a good job this year of doing it."

The Bees and Grizzlies will play the final game of their four-game set Monday night. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. Salt Lake lefty Trevor Reckling (4-3, 6.11 ERA) is scheduled to start against Fresno lefty Matt Yourkin (2-1, 4.33).