Salt Lake Bees allow late grand slam in loss to River Cats

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Brandon Hicks' grand slam in the sixth inning turned the game around for Sacramento, as the River Cats defeated the Salt Lake Bees 6-3 on Thursday night.

The Bees had taken a 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth on a two-run homer by John Hester.

A walk and two singles loaded the bases for Sacramento before Hicks drilled a 2-2 pitch from Salt Lake starter Brad Mills over the left-field wall to put the River Cats in front.

Sacramento had taken a 1-0 lead in the third on an RBI double by Brandon Inge, who is on an injury rehab assignment from Oakland, but the Bees tied it in the fourth on a run-scoring ground out by Efren Navarro.

Mills (5-8) took the loss, as he went five innings and allowed five runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

With the loss, the Bees now trail first place Reno by six games with 11 left to play.

Pioneer League

RAPTORS 5, OSPREY 4: At Ogden, the Raptors held on to a 4-1 lead as Bladimir Franco had two hits.

VOYAGERS 5, OWLZ 3: At Great Falls, Mont., Great Falls scored all of its runs between the fifth and seventh innings to hand Jairo Diaz (5-5) and the Owlz the loss.

Diaz fanned nine batters.