This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Colorado Springs put on an offensive show for the ages Wednesday at Spring Mobile Ballpark.
Bees pitchers should have called a cop because they were assaulted unmercifully. By the ninth, designated hitter Paul McAnulty was on the mound.
In a rare noon start for "Lunch at the Ballpark," Colorado Springs amassed 27 hits in a 22-8 shellacking of the Bees before 4,180 at Spring Mobile Ballpark.
It marked the most runs given up by Salt Lake since being bludgeoned 28-5 by Tucson in 2006.
There was little to say afterward, even as the Bees continued to battle, scoring in the ninth.
"There's no quit in this team, it's that simple," a terse Salt Lake manager Keith Johnson said. "It's over."
When asked his reaction to the Colorado Springs' fireworks, Johnson replied, "Nothing surprises me in this game."
Although the Bees also remained focused defensively, they could not overcome their own pitching mistakes. Each Colorado starter had at least one base hit, one RBI and scored a run.
Starting pitcher Eddie McKiernan, fresh from Double-A Arkansas to replace Garrett Richards, recently called to the L.A. Angels, won't soon forget his Triple-A debut.
McKiernan allowed 11 hits and eight earned runs in two innings. He left after allowing three hits and run to open the third.
McAnulty provided Salt Lake (26-28) with a brief moment of hope in the third inning when he drilled a two-run homer to the scoreboard in right, slashing an eight-run deficit in half.
Nothing could stop the onslaught. It was evident Salt Lake was going to be Colorado Springs' punching bag all afternoon. The game was put to bed when the Sox pushed six runs across home plate in the sixth and then followed with seven more in the seventh.
Cory Aldridge slammed a three-run line drive in the bottom of the sixth to once again slash the Sky Sox lead in half. This time, though, it was a seven-run separation.
The only real bright spot was McAnulty's mound appearance. He pitched well, allowing a hit and no runs.
"It was the debut of my pitching career," McAnulty said. "It could be the last. It was fun."
The rest of the game? Not so much.
Storylines
R Colorado Springs becomes the first team to score 20 runs on Salt Lake since 2006.
• Every starter in the Sky Sox lineup has at least one hit, run and RBI.
• Salt Lake designated hitter Paul McAnulty hits a homer and pitches a scoreless ninth.