Flu outbreak cancels Bees game

Illness forced the postponement of Friday night's Pacific Coast League game between the Salt Lake Bees and Portland Beavers at Spring Mobile Ballpark.

According to a league press release, it involves seven players on Portland's roster who are affected by the influenza-A virus. The Beavers, who never left Reno after playing there Thursday, requested the postponement for precautionary reasons.

The game will be made up today as part of a doubleheader. The makeup game will start at 2 p.m. followed by the regularly scheduled 7 p.m. game.

The PCL statement also endorsed the actions taken and commended the Beavers and their parent club, the San Diego Padres, for "their cautious approach."

With a capacity crowd scheduled to watch postgame fireworks for Pioneer Day, Salt Lake officials invited the Utah Marshalls and Utah Bucks to fill in the game slot with a seven-inning exhibition after a home-run derby with the Bees.

The 18-and-under all-star teams are composed of elite players from across the country, including Las Vegas teen Bryce Harper. "Baseball's Chosen One" was recently featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The 16-year-old is credited with the longest home run in Tropicana Field history, a 502-foot blast earlier this year at the home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Throughout the game, Bees players signed autographs, and soft drinks were 2-for-1 at the concession stands.

Fans with tickets to the originally scheduled PCL game also received a voucher for two tickets to an upcoming game, as well as vouchers for a Utah Jazz preseason game and a Miller Motorsports Park event.

"It's been a crazy afternoon, a crazy day," said Bees general manager Marc Amicone. "So we're going to make the best of it."

Padilla has H1N1 flu

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Texas Rangers pitcher Vicente Padilla tested positive for swine flu, though his symptoms are subsiding and he's expected to make his next start.

Padilla was scratched from his start Wednesday against Boston due to flulike symptoms, and lab reports Friday indicated he had H1N1 influenza A. He is thought to be the first athlete in U.S. major pro sports to be diagnosed with swine flu.

e-mail: dirk@desnews.com