Big Sixth Inning Boosts El Paso over Bees on Opening Day

EL PASO, Texas - The Salt Lake Bees fell to the El Paso Chihuahuas 10-3 in a game that saw early promise but ultimately slipped away due to a big sixth inning from the home team.

Salt Lake struck first in the second inning as Scott Kingery launched a solo home run to right-center on the first pitch he saw, giving the Bees a 1-0 lead. However, El Paso responded quickly. Luis Campusano and Connor Joe set the table with back-to-back singles before Mason McCoy delivered a two-run double, flipping the lead to 2-1 in favor of the Chihuahuas.

El Paso extended its lead in the following frame as Trenton Brooks hit a solo home run to right-center, making it 3-1, his first of two on the night.

The Bees managed to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fifth on a Ryan Noda towering shot to right but the Chihuahuas answered right back with another home run from Brooks, restoring their two-run lead at 4-2.

The game got away from the Bees in the bottom of the sixth. A leadoff walk and a single set the stage for a disastrous sequence. Connor Joe, Mike Brosseau, and Mason McCoy each drove in runs, with McCoy’s triple capping a five-run inning that saw the lead balloon to 9-3.

The Bees' bats remained silent as they managed only one hit in the final two frames. A double play in the eighth and a routine groundout in the ninth sealed their fate, as El Paso closed out the win on opening night.

Salt Lake will look to even up the series tomorrow night against the Chihuahuas at 6:35 MDT as Chase Silseth will make his 2025 season debut on the mound for the Bees.