The Salt Lake Bees have constructed a respectable start for 2009. With the second-best record in the Pacific Coast League, should the Bees continue on the same pace, a fourth consecutive division title is definitely within reach.

Yet, what the Bees are doing now is nothing compared to their astonishing, record-setting start to 2008. A 21-1 run that was built on watertight defense, strong pitching, late-inning heroics and a few friendly bounces.

For at least a month, Salt Lake was a national story as it eventually built a 24-2 record before finishing 84-60.

"Everything had to go right," Salt Lake catcher Bobby Wilson said. "I think, 'How the heck did we do that?'"

Those involved in Salt Lake's torrid April, which, according to MinorLeagueBaseball.com, was the best start ever in minor league history, are still at a loss to explain what happened and why.

"You didn't want to sit around and jinx it," said Matt Brown, who enjoyed a cycle the first week into the season and was the PCL's Player of the Week. "[After a while] we felt good things were going to happen, and they did."

Highlights included an 11-game road winning streak and overall 13-game winning streak, both franchise records. The Bees won eight games in their final at-bat, ground out seven one-run victories, and five shutouts.

Terry Evans homered to win a game in the bottom of the 11th on April 17. A week later, Evans drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th. As April became May, the Bees were 23-2.

"It didn't hit me at the time," Salt Lake manager Bobby Mitchell said. "You know guys were stepping up and had done a good job.

"We weren't making errors. Line drives were turned into outs. Everything was rolling and nothing was going against us."

Current Los Angeles pitcher Shane Loux and the late Nick Adenhart were undefeated, each going 4-0. Adenhart's earned-run average was less than a run per game.

The tone was set from the first game. Down 3-2 going into the top of the ninth, a sacrifice bunt by Freddy Sandoval spun away from a Las Vegas' fielder, hugged the first base line and stayed fair, loading the bases.

Adam Pavkovich and Wilson eventually singled in two runs and Salt Lake had a 6-3 victory.

"It was awesome," Brown said. "Me and Freddy had hot starts. Life was good."

As Wilson remembers:

"It was fun to turn on the music in the clubhouse every night."

martyr@sltrib.com