The first-place Salt Lake Bees look to carry their June success into July as they welcome the Las Vegas 51s to Smith's Ballpark for their final home series before the All-Star break.
The first-place Salt Lake Bees look to carry their June success into July as they welcome the Las Vegas 51s to Smith's Ballpark for their final home series before the All-Star break.
Starting pitcher Troy Scribner will represent the Bees at the AAA All-Star game July 12 in Tacoma. Scribner is the only Pacific Coast League hurler with nine victories this season and leads all Salt Lake pitchers with 77 and two-thirds innings pitched and 80 strikeouts. He is the first Salt Lake pitcher chosen for the PCL All-Star team since reliever Jeremy Hill was selected in 2009 and the first Bees starting pitcher named to the All-Star team since Joe Saunders in 2006. Scribner is 1-1 with a 4.15 earned run average in two starts against Las Vegas, while fellow starter Daniel Wright has allowed only one earned run in 11 and two-thirds innings against the 51s, posting a 0.77 ERA in two starts against Las Vegas.
Infielder Kaleb Cowart has posted a team-best 11 hits and scored a team-high seven runs against Las Vegas pitching. On June 22, Cowart had a career night against the 51s, collecting six hits and recording the Bees' first cycle since Matt Brown on April 9, 2008. In addition to Cowart, Shane Robinson and Nolan Fontana are swinging hot bats for Salt Lake. Robinson is the fifth-toughest qualified hitter to strike out in the PCL, fanning once every 11 plate appearances. Robinson has recorded multiple hits in five of his last seven games and he is hitting .378 (17-for-45) since returning to the Salt Lake lineup on June 16. Fontana has reached base in 20 of 23 June games and ranks eighth among qualified PCL hitters with a .444 June on-base percentage. Fontana became the third player in Bees history with two inside-the-park homers in a single season when he lined a three-run, inside-the-park round-tripper June 27 against Reno. The homer was Fontana's eighth of the season, matching his single-season career-high set in 2013 with the high-A Lancaster JetHawks.
Salt Lake pitchers will have to deal with Las Vegas' dynamic offensive duo of Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith. Rosario and Smith are two of three PCL hitters with at least 100 hits this season. Rosario will start at shortstop for the PCL in the AAA All-Star game and leads the 51s with 49 RBIs, 46 runs scored, six triples, and 13 stolen bases, while Smith leads Las Vegas with 102 hits and 20 doubles.
Fireworks shows will follow three of the four games between the Bees and the 51s. The Bees are expected to welcome the 12 millionth fan in franchise history to Smith's Ballpark Friday night, and fans will enjoy post-game fireworks after a country-themed night. Saturday night is Jazz Night at Smith's Ballpark, as the Bees will wear special Jazz-themed uniforms and the series' second fireworks show will follow the game. Monday night's game will feature post-game fireworks as part of an Independence Day celebration.
The Bees return home following the All-Star break for four games against the Sacramento River Cats starting July 13 at Smith's Ballpark. For tickets and additional information, visit slbees.com.
