El Paso Pays Salt Lake A Visit

SALT LAKE CITY (July 24) - The Salt Lake Bees and the El Paso Chihuahuas go head-to-head for four games beginning July 24 at Smith's Ballpark for their final series of 2015. El Paso currently holds the edge in the match up, taking eight of 12 games from the Bees.

Despite the eight losses, the Bees are hitting Chihuahua pitching for a .314 team average, their third-best clip against any team this season. Jett Bandy, Grant Green, Alfredo Marte, Efren Navarro and Josh Rutledge have been especially dangerous in the batter's box against El Paso, respectively hitting .370, .324, .419, .563 and .353. The five Bees batters have combined for 23 runs, 14 doubles, three home runs and 15 RBIs. Drew Rucinski is the only pitcher to collect a win against El Paso that remains on the Bees current roster. In two starts, Rucinski has allowed six runs over 10 innings.

Kaleb Cowart has been highlighting the Bees offense since his call up from High-A Inland Empire on June 11. In just 39 games, Cowart has jumped to fifth on the team with 38 RBIs, trailing the team leader, Jett Bandy, by 12. He also has appeared in 12 fewer games than anyone preceding him on the Salt Lake RBI leaderboard. Cowart is heading the Salt Lake effort with a .444 average over the last 10 games and has added nine runs, two home runs and 15 RBIs during that stretch.

Ryan Jackson and Rutledge are riding hot streaks of their own, hitting .410 and .385, respectively, over the Bees last 10 games. Heading into Friday night's contest, Jackson claims a season-high eight-game hitting streak. The shortstop is knocking .421 over the streak with three doubles, one triple, one home run and three RBIs.

The Bees bullpen has made a turn-around in July after a rough June. Cory Rasmus has allowed just one hit over four games and five inning in July and has collects nine strikeouts, while dishing out just one free base. Vinnie Pestano also has just one hit against him in five games and six innings. He has collected two saves, seven strikeouts and has not given up a walk.  

As a team, El Paso has managed a .315 batting average against Salt Lake this season, but has racked up a 5.13 ERA. Alex Dickerson leads the way for the Chihuahuas, hitting .309 on the season with a .366 clip against the Bees. Dickerson leads El Paso with 25 doubles on the season and is second with 54 RBIs.

Salt Lake's homestand runs through Monday, July 27 and will feature postgame fireworks on Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25 to celebrate the Pioneer Day weekend. Former Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox star Bill Buckner will visit Smith's Ballpark on July 27 and will be signing autographs on the concourse. For more information or for tickets, visit www.slbees.com.