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The Salt Lake Bees trailed by four runs headed into the eighth inning, but rallied to post a six-run inning to beat the El Paso Chihuahuas 8-6 in front of an announced 4,245 at Smith's Ballpark on Friday night. The Bees avoided being swept in the four-game series and snapped a five-game losing slide. The game featured three ejections: Bees outfielder Ramon Flores, El Paso manager Rod Barajas and El Paso pitcher Jose Valdez.
The six runs in the eighth inning matched a season high for the Bees. The inning included two of the three ejections. Barajas got ejected after arguing when Eric Young Jr. avoided a tag while scoring from third on a bunt. Later in the inning Valdez, a former Bees pitcher, got ejected for throwing a pitch behind Kaleb Cowart after the Bees took the lead.
Turning Point • Young's three-run triple in the eighth inning pulled the Bees within one run and put the tying run on third base after the Bees had trailed for the entire game. Young went on to score the tying run on a Matt Williams bunt, and the Bees tacked on two more in the inning.
Bees MVP • Young came off the bench in place of Ramon Flores, who got ejected in the fourth inning, and went 2-for-2 with a triple, three RBI and a run scored.
Hidden Hero • Bees relief pitcher Cody Ege struck out a season-high six and allowed one earned run on one hit and two walks in a season-high 3 2/3 innings.
Flashing Leather • Bees third baseman Sherman Johnson made an outstanding play on a short hop ground ball going toward the foul line and threw quickly to first in time to get Dusty Coleman with the help of a nice scoop by first baseman C.J. Cron. With a runner on base, the play helped squash a potential scoring opportunity.
Quoteworthy •"The play wasn't on," Young said of scoring the tying run on Matt Williams' bunt. "Matty looked at me, kind of just gave me a look and I was like he might be thinking about bunting. I'm not 100 percent sure. As soon as he turned around to bunt, I was like okay, if he puts it on the ground I'm going. He did, and I didn't hesitate. I think if hesitated there I'd been obviously out."
Angel Angle • Second baseman Nolan Fontana, who got called up from Salt Lake to the Los Angeles Angels on May 22, recorded his first major-league hit on a home run in the ninth inning of Friday's loss to the Miami Marlins.
HISTORY LESSON • Young came into Friday night with a 22-game on-base streak, the longest for the Bees this season. The 22-game streak is the fourth-longest Pacific Coast League this season, and it was also the third-longest active streak entering the night.
What's next • The Bees begin a four-game series with Tacoma at 6:35 p.m. Saturday in Smith's Ballpark. —
PCL Standings
American North W L Pct. GB
Colo. Springs (Brewers) 26 17 .605 —
Okla. City (Dodgers) 25 20 .556 2
Omaha (Royals) 24 23 .511 4
Iowa (Cubs) 21 26 .447 7
American South W L Pct. GB
Memphis (Cardinals) 29 19 .604 —
Nashville (Athletics) 23 22 .511 4½
Round Rock (Rangers) 23 26 .469 6½
New Orleans (Marlins) 17 30 .362 11½
Pacific North W L Pct. GB
Tacoma (Mariners) 29 17 .630 —
Reno (Diamondbacks) 30 19 .612 ½
Fresno (Astros) 19 29 .396 11
Sacramento (Giants) 18 28 .391 11
Pacific South W L Pct. GB
Albuquerque (Rockies) 25 22 .532 —
Salt Lake (Angels) 26 23 .531 —
El Paso (Padres) 23 26 .469 2½
Las Vegas (Mets) 19 30 .388 7
Friday's games
Omaha 8, Nashville 3, 11 innings
Round Rock 7, Las Vegas 3
Reno 7, Iowa 6
Salt Lake 8, El Paso 6
New Orleans at Colorado Springs, late
Oklahoma City at Albuquerque, late
Fresno at Tacoma, late
Memphis at Sacramento, late
Saturday's games
Oklahoma City at New Orleans, 5 p.m.
Colorado Springs at Nashville, 5:35 p.m.
Iowa at Memphis, 5:35 p.m.
Round Rock at Omaha, 6:05 p.m.
Tacoma at Salt Lake, 6:35 p.m.
Albuquerque at Fresno, 8:05 p.m.
El Paso at Las Vegas, 8:05 p.m.
Sacramento at Reno, 8:05 p.m.