Salt Lake Bees suffer 5th straight loss

NEW ORLEANS — Three New Orleans pitchers combined to shut out Salt Lake on five hits, as the Zephyrs blanked the bumbling Bees 5-0 on Tuesday night.

The Bees also picked up four walks, but they hit into three double plays and another runner was caught stealing, as Salt Lake dropped its fifth consecutive game.

Bees' starter Tommy Mendoza, who was making his AAA debut on his 22nd birthday, worked four scoreless innings before being knocked out of the game in the fifth inning when the Zephyrs scored four runs.

Reggie Willits led the Bees with two hits, while Freddy Sandoval, Matt Brown and Ryan Budde each added one single. The game marked the second time on their current road trip that Salt Lake has been shut out and it was the third in the last 10 days. The loss also dropped the Bees 6 1/2 games behind first-place Colorado Springs, as four Sky Sox pitchers combined to no-hit Oklahoma City 5-0.