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Bees Split with Isotopes After Sweeping Sunday Doubleheader

June 30, 2024

The Salt Lake Bees grabbed the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader at Isotopes Park, defeating the Albuquerque Isotopes by a score of 5-3 in seven innings to secure the series split. The offense continued its sizzling start from game one into game two as Keston Hiura sent another missile onto

The Salt Lake Bees grabbed the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader at Isotopes Park, defeating the Albuquerque Isotopes by a score of 5-3 in seven innings to secure the series split.

The offense continued its sizzling start from game one into game two as Keston Hiura sent another missile onto the outfield berm for his sixth home run in four games. With Sunday’s second doubleheader game marking Hiura’s 16th game with the club, he has catapulted up the home run leaderboard rankings to lead all with 11 big flies, three above Jack Lopez in second.

Reid Detmers (W, 2-2) got the ball for his fifth start with Salt Lake and recorded a quality start after going six complete innings, striking out a season-high 11 batters, while allowing just three runs on four hits as every run was scored in the fourth inning. Detmers punched out at least one Isotopes’ hitter in each inning, capping off a strong start with a trio in the sixth inning. Detmer’s deep outing into a shortened game allowed for just one arm to enter out of the bullpen as Bryan Shaw shut down the ninth with no damage done to seize the victory.

The Bees quickly stung Isotopes starting pitcher Tyler Danish (L, 1-6) as Jake Marisnick and Michael Stefanic both singled to lead off the game before Marisnick came around to score from second after Danish sent a pickoff throw into center field. Two pitches later, Charles Leblanc lifted a one-out double into center field to drive home Stefanic and extend Salt Lake’s lead, 2-0. Hiura made his mark in the series finale during the third inning, tattooing a 2-run home run off relief pitcher Juan Hillman to double the Bees’ lead, 4-0. The Bees kept their foot on the gas into the fourth inning as Elliot Soto singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch before stealing third base (14). Lopez later followed with a one-out walk and stole second for his 10th bag of the season, all setting up for Chad Wallach to lift a sacrifice fly, giving Salt Lake its largest lead 5-0. Albuquerque responded with its only run-scoring inning of the game as Jimmy Herron lined a one-out triple before Connor Kaiser walked and Willie McIver punched a double, placing two runners in scoring position while plating a run. In the ensuing at-bat, Julio Carreras cleared the bases with a triple to cut the deficit to just two runs, recording his fourth triple of the season. The Isotopes would only manage to get the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning after Hunter Stovall drew a two-out walk, but Shaw closed the book in Sunday’s finale with a strikeout.

The Bees start July baseball with a quick trip to Tacoma as the six-game series is split evenly at Cheney Stadium and later at Smith’s Ballpark. The first of three games in Tacoma against the Rainiers begins tomorrow evening with first pitch set for 8:05 p.m. MT before the series continues in Salt Lake on Thursday.