Late Salt Lake Comeback Falls Just Short

The Salt Lake Bees fell into an early hole and could not climb out, falling 7-6 to the Las Vegas Aviators on Sunday afternoon. With the loss the Bees and Aviators split their six-game series at three games apiece.

Bees starting pitcher Zach Plesac gave up home runs to the first two Las Vegas batters as part of a three-run first inning for the Aviators, the first runs allowed in the first inning by Salt Lake this season. Plesac bounced back to fire four scoreless innings after a tough first to keep the Bees close, but the Aviators found answers for every Salt Lake score. The Bees brought in two in the seventh to close the gap to a single run, but Armando Alvarez responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run homer. The Bees got a run back in the eighth, but again the Aviators smashed a two-run home run in the bottom of the frame, this one coming off the bat of Tyler Soderstrom.

Salt Lake mounted a late rally in the ninth. With two outs Hunter Dozier walked, Jack Lopez was hit by a pitch and Bryce Teodosio walked to load the bases. Sonny Dichiara hit a fly ball to the warning track in left field that Logan Davidson lost in the sun, scoring all three base runners to draw the game back within a run. Another hit by pitch put the potential go-ahead run on the bases, but Tyler Ferguson was able to get Anthony Mulrine to ground out to escape the jam.

The Salt Lake offense collected six hits and seven walks but went just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and did not register an extra base hit as Dichiara’s bases clearing fly ball was ruled an error.

The Bees return home to Smith’s Ballpark on Tuesday night to start a six-game series with the Reno Aces.