Bees Downed By Dodgers

The Oklahoma City Dodgers plated ten runs in the 6th inning to turn a five run deficit into a five run lead on their way to an 11-8 win over the Salt Lake Bees on Thursday night in the opening game of a six game series. The Bees grabbed a 4-1 lead with four runs in the fourth on a two run double by Jake Gatewood and a two run triple by Preston Palmeiro. They would add two more in the sixth on an RBI single by Francisco Arcia and Matt Thaiss was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 6-1, but Oklahoma City took advantage of six walks with five hits, including a pair of home runs to score the ten runs.

Salt Lake would score one run in the eighth on an RBI single by Thaiss and another in the ninth on a run-scoring single by Gatewood. The OKC rally spoiled a solid start by Packy Naughton, who went five innings and allowed just one run on five hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. Felix Pena closed out the game by retiring all seven batters he faced. Gatewood led the Bees with two hits and three runs batted in, while Thaiss and Palmeiro each drove in a pair of runs.