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After winning five straight games to squeeze Tacoma's Pacific Northern Division lead to one-half game, the Salt Lake Bees looked poised to claim the top spot and a playoff birth with three games remaining.
But an unearned run by the Reno Aces in the top of the ninth inning turned into the game-winner Saturday at Spring Mobile Ballpark and put Salt Lake City in bleak, bleak circumstances when accompanied by a 3-1 Tacoma win over Fresno.
Salt Lake (72-70) must win its final two games against Reno (68-73) and needs Tacoma to lose its final two games for the Bees to make the postseason.
"We've gotten back in it — we're still in it," manager Bobby Mitchell said. "Anything can happen."
Still, Mitchell was noticeably deflated after watching his team lose the way it did. Ryan Houston's attempt to pickoff Eric Groff in the ninth with the game knotted at 5 was errant, advancing Groff to second base. Cole Gillespie then singled to center field, scoring Groff for the go-ahead run.
The tying run in the top of the eighth wasn't much prettier for the Bees to surrender. Another pickoff attempt, this time by Barrett Browning, sent Carlos Corporan to third base. Doug Deeds' sacrifice brought Corporan home. After Salt Lake rallied to take the lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth, neither team could make a move in the seventh. Then Jason Urquidez took the mound for Reno in the eighth, striking out the side and then he retired three straight batters in the ninth to earn the win.
Ryan Vogelsong started for the Bees and—although he settled after a rocky start to only allow three runs—had to leave after the fourth inning after throwing 102 pitches.
"It's unfortunate we lost that way," Mitchell said. "We pretty much gave them the game." —
Bees' remaining schedule
P Today • Reno, 2:05 p.m.
Monday • Reno, 2:05 p.m. —
Standings
Pacific Coast League
American North Division
W L Pct. GB
Iowa (Cubs) 82 60 .577 —
Memphis (Cardinals) 80 62 .563 2
Omaha (Royals) 79 63 .556 3
Nashville (Brewers) 76 66 .535 6
American South Division
W L Pct. GB
Oklahoma City (Rangers) 73 68 .518 —
Albuquerque (Dodgers) 70 71 .496 3
New Orleans (Marlins) 65 76 .461 8
Round Rock (Astros) 57 85 .401 16½
Pacific North Division
W L Pct. GB
Tacoma (Mariners) 73 68 .517 —
Salt Lake (Angels) 72 70 .508 1½
Co. Springs (Rockies) 63 78 .447 9½
Portland (Padres) 57 85 .401 16½
Pacific South Division
W L Pct. GB
Sacramento (Athletics) 78 64 .549 —
Fresno (Giants) 74 68 .522 4
Reno (Diamondbacks) 68 73 .482 9½
Las Vegas (Blue Jays) 66 76 .464 12
Saturday's games
Omaha 2, Oklahoma City 0
New Orleans 2, Nashville 1
Iowa 8, Memphis 5
Round Rock 6, Albuquerque 2
Sacramento 16, Colorado Springs 9
Reno 6, Salt Lake 5
Las Vegas 9, Portland 1
Tacoma 3, Fresno 1
Today's games
Memphis at Iowa, 12:05 p.m.
Sacramento at Colorado Springs, 1:05 p.m.
Reno at Salt Lake, 2:05 p.m.
Las Vegas at Portland, 3:05 p.m.
Omaha at Oklahoma City, 3:05 p.m.
Nashville at New Orleans, 5 p.m.
Albuquerque at Round Rock, 5:05 p.m.
Tacoma at Fresno, 7:05 p.m. —
Reno 6, Bees 5
R Salt Lake slips 1 1/2 games behind Tacoma, which won Saturday, with two games remaining.
• Reno's tying run in the eighth was set up by an error and so was the go-ahead score in the ninth.
• Jason Urquidez gets the win by retiring six straight batters in the final two innings, including three strikeouts.