This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Paul McAnulty is heating up.
On Tuesday, the Salt Lake designated hitter and part-time first baseman jolted visiting Sacramento with a game-tying three-run home run in the seventh inning, complete with a fist pump as he rounded first base.
"It was a split, a good pitch and I hit it good," McAnulty said. "The team had been struggling a little bit. Maybe this will get us going a little bit."
It certainly seemed to as Salt Lake, which had lost nine of 11 coming in to Wednesday's 4-3 victory against the River Cats, jumped out to an early lead at Spring Mobile Ballpark. McAnulty started the scoring with a double to the right-field gap in the first, scoring on Jeff Baisley's single. He also cleared the right-field berm with a long drive in the fifth.
Salt Lake starter Matt Palmer fanned nine in 7 1⁄3 innings, allowing four hits, to earn the Bees a second straight win.
For McAnulty, it's a continuation of what's been a productive month. He was named the PCL's Player of the Week for July 4 through 10 and had been hitting .400 with 13 runs batted in during the past 10 games.
For sure, McAnulty can hit. He's above .300 again and can put together a hot month.
"To me, it's all about putting together quality at-bats," he said. "I'm just letting things fall where they may.
"I enjoying playing in Salt Lake. I love it here. [But] that's part of the game."
Highlights
R Salt Lake starter Matt Palmer allows two runs in 7 1⁄3 innings to earn his fourth victory.
• Los Angeles sends catcher Hank Conger to Salt Lake as Bees outfielder Tyson Auer is added to the DL.