Bees Down Aviators in First Game After All-Star Break
The Salt Lake Bees returned from the All-Star Break in style on Friday evening, taking down the Las Vegas Aviators in the series opener by a final score of 4-2. The Bees pitching staff showed no signs of rust on Friday after having the last four days off, surrendering just
The Salt Lake Bees returned from the All-Star Break in style on Friday evening, taking down the Las Vegas Aviators in the series opener by a final score of 4-2.
The Bees pitching staff showed no signs of rust on Friday after having the last four days off, surrendering just a pair of runs on seven hits in what turned out to be an impromptu bullpen game to lead the way for the team. Taking the ball to make the start for Salt Lake was José Suarez, who recorded the first 11 outs of the game while allowing just a lone run on a homer by Max Muncy and striking out four hitters and walking none. The lefty’s strong outing was cut short early, however, as he alongside Bees manager Keith Johnson and pitching coach Shane Loux were all ejected after Suarez hit Muncy with a pitch with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. This series of events summoned Ryan Miller out from the bullpen, who got the final out of the frame and then proceeded to work two more innings of one-run ball with three punchouts. After this, José Quijada and Bryan Shaw went six-up, six-down in the seventh and eighth innings, and José Marte worked around a two-out double in the ninth to lock down the win for the Bees and pick up his eighth save of the season.
This strong effort on the mound for Salt Lake was supported by some timely hitting by the team’s bats, which did just enough to help hold a lead for the majority of the night. The offense got things going quickly in this one, scoring one run in the opening frame after notching three straight hits to kick off the game and then another in the third on an RBI double down the left field line by Jake Marisnick. After the Aviators leveled things up at two apiece in the bottom of the sixth, the big hit for the Bees came shortly after off the bat of Jack López, who led off the seventh by catching a 1-1 hanging slider from reliever Aaron Brooks and crushing it over the left field wall to give Salt Lake an advantage that it would hold onto for the rest of the game. On the individual side of things, the Bees were led by Chad Wallach, who went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a double and three singles. Beyond him, seven of the nine starters for the team recorded at least one knock, with Marisnick and Michael Stefanic joining Wallach in the multi-hit club with two each.
Jumpin' back into the lead 😮💨
— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) July 20, 2024
Jack López puts us in front in the seventh with his 11th homer of the season! pic.twitter.com/vxNj31jOM8
The Bees will now try to take home a series victory over the Aviators in the second of three games on Saturday, with Davis Daniel set to take the hill opposite the rehabbing Paul Blackburn for first pitch at 8:05 p.m.