Bees' Bats Bash Dodgers
August 15, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Salt Lake Bees News Release
The Salt Lake Bees (16-24) defeated the first-half champion Oklahoma City Dodgers (23-17) 8-6 in Tuesday's series opener as all ten batters that appeared for Salt Lake reached base at least once.
Oklahoma City came out firing on all cylinders, blasting a grand slam in the top of the first to take a 4-0 lead. Salt Lake refused to sit idly by, electrifying the home crowd with a run in the second inning and taking the lead with a four-run third inning on a two-RBI double by Kevin Padlo and run-scoring at-bats by Livan Soto and Jared Walsh to take a 5-4 lead. The Bees, not content with a one-run lead, kept the pressure applied while they added another two runs in the fourth inning thanks to Logan O'Hoppe notching an RBI single in his debut as a Bee before later coming around to score and pushing the advantage to 7-4. Both offenses were held in check with the three-run Salt Lake advantage until Oklahoma City chipped away at their lead with two runs in the seventh inning, closing the gap to just one run. Oklahoma City nearly squared the affair in the eighth until David Fletcher turned a crucial double play, catching a pop-up in shallow center field and gunning a tagging OKC runner at the plate to escape the inning unscathed. The Bees would then add an insurance run in the eighth on a Zach Humphreys RBI double to establish an 8-6 lead that held steady for the remainder of the contest.
After giving up the game-opening grand slam, Bees left-handed starter Jake Kalish (W, 7-8) was extremely effective on the mound. He went six full innings allowing four runs on the early blast by OKC and nothing after, holding the Dodgers to just six hits while striking out four in 97 pitches. Jonathan Holder, Eric Torres and Reyes Moronta combined to produce a quality bullpen outing in support of Kalish, allowing two earned runs between them in the final three frames as Moronta earned his third save. In addition to every batter reaching base, three Bees tallied multiple hits, including outfielder Orlando Martinez who produced his first RBI in a Salt Lake uniform this season. Both Michael Stefanic and Walsh finished the game with three walks while Trey Cabbage reached ever-closer to the first Salt Lake 30-30 season with two steals and one of three Bees multi-hit performances alongside Soto and Martinez.
The Salt Lake Bees return to Smith's Ballpark tomorrow for the second of their six-game series against the Oklahoma City Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 15, 2023
- Johnson Logs Six Hits but Cats Topped by Rainiers - Sacramento River Cats
- Tacoma Takes Down Sacramento, 18-8 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Isotopes End Skid with 7-4 Victory - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Bees Take Down Dodgers - Oklahoma City Comets
- Lawlar & Alexander Flash Electricity In Reno's Explosive Win Over Las Vegas - Reno Aces
- Brantley Homers in Space Cowboys' Defeat - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Bees' Bats Bash Dodgers - Salt Lake Bees
- Albuquerque Takes Down El Paso - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Express Take Down Space Cowboys in Series Opener - Round Rock Express
- Space Cowboys Come Home for Two Weeks against Round Rock & Reno - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Sacramento (6:45 PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - August 15, 2023 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Michael Brantley Scheduled to Join Space Cowboys on Major League Rehab - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- OKC Dodgers Playoff Tickets on Sale Now - Oklahoma City Comets
- Reno Aces Host Las Vegas Aviators at Greater Nevada Field this Week - Reno Aces
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
