Salt Lake Bees: Wood gets 2nd chance to deliver win for Bees

Salt Lake Bees shortstop Brandon Wood had a chance to be the hero with two outs and the bases loaded in a tie game in the ninth inning Tuesday night at Franklin Covey Field, but didn't come through.

He didn't have to wait long for another chance, however. Wood's next at bat was a two-out single in the bottom of the 11th, scoring Chris Walker from second on a close play at the plate, giving the Bees a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over the Sacramento River Cats.

"It doesn't get much better than that," said Wood, who also hit a long home run earlier in the game.

The River Cats, who had their go-ahead run thrown out by Salt Lake's right fielder Adam Pavkovich in the top of the 11th, felt Walker was out at the plate as well. Both their catcher, Landon Powell, and their manager, Todd Steverson, argued the call with the home plate umpire as the Bees celebrated the victory.

Walker, though, was sure he slid in safely.

"I got my foot in and my hand in and then he tagged me on the head," said Walker. "I was like 'What are you arguing about.'"

The victory improved Salt Lake's record to 48-30, while the PCL Pacific Southern Division leading River Cats fell to 46-33.

"That was one great game when you think about it," said Bees manager Bobby Mitchell. "There were a lot of good plays by both teams. Both teams had chances to win it."

And both teams hit tape-measure home runs. Wood's solo homer in the fourth inning to put the Bees on the scoreboard went deep to left-center about 450-feet. Teammate Sean Rodriguez hit a pair of long homers as well.

But the longest homer of the night was by Sacramento first baseman Wes Bankston, who hit a fly ball over the 36-foot batter's eye in dead center 420-feet from home plate.

"That one that Wes hit over the batter's eye," said Wood. "I looked at him when I got to first and said, 'Oh my goodness.' Some guys were putting the barrel on the ball and this is a good place to hit."

Salt Lake, which fell behind 5-1, rallied in the sixth inning when Rodriguez hit a two-run homer followed by a solo shot by Freddy Sandoval. Rodriguez's homer in the seventh tied the game at 5-5 and neither team was able to score again until the bottom of the 11th.

Henry Bonilla, the last of five pitchers for the Bees, earned the victory.

BEELINES: The Bees have a rare day off today before heading on the road for trips to Tacoma and Las Vegas. Bees are scheduled to start Shane Loux (9-3, 3.86 ERA) against Rainiers lefty Robert Rohrbaugh (6-5, 5.42 ERA) on Thursday night. ... Salt Lake won't return to Franklin Covey Field until July 4 for the annual Independence Day game followed by a fireworks show. ... Bobby Wilson's RBI single in the seventh inning on Sunday was the first base hit by a Bees pinch hitter this season. Dee Brown pinch hit in the ninth inning for the Bees on Tuesday and lined out to shortstop. Later, Adam Morrissey got a pinch-hit single in the 10th inning. Bees hitters to a combined 2-for-14 on the year.... Sandoval's sixth inning homer extended his home hitting streak to 16 games. That's the second longest active streak in the league. ... Attendance at Tuesday's game was 7,019.

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E-mail: lojo@desnews.com

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