Bees Bullpen Shines in Series Opening Victory over Sugar Land
Published on April 15, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Salt Lake Bees News Release
SOUTH JORDAN, UT. - After taking the final game in their second road series of the year, the Salt Lake Bees continued their winning ways, tying their longest win streak of the year, two games, with a 8-3 victory over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
Salt Lake 8, Sugar Land 3
WP: Angel Perdomo (1-0)
LP: Sam Carlson (0-1)
Key Performers
Christian Moore: 1-4, 3B, 2 R, BB, SB
Niko Kavadas: 0-1, 2 R, 3 BB, K
Jose Siri: 1-2, R, RBI, 3 BB
Joey Lucchesi: 2.0 IP, 3 K
Game Summary
Sugar Land struck first, scoring CJ Alexander after he reached first with two outs on a throwing error. He touched home on a wild pitch making 1-0 in the top of the inning.
Salt Lake would bounce right back, taking a 2-1 lead to end the first frame without recording a hit. The Bees took three walks and were hit by a pitch twice as a bases loaded hit-by-pitch on Donovan Walton scored the first run before a bases loaded walk to Nick Madrigal gave Salt Lake the lead.
After a scoreless second by both staffs, both teams would put up crooked numbers in the third. CJ Alexander (4) blasted a 419-foot two-run home run to right center to give Sugar Land the lead back in their favor.
The Bees answered with three runs in the bottom half. After back-to-back one-out walks, Walton loaded the bases with a single through the right side. Madrigal was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the game at three. Sebastian Rivero followed with an opposite-field sacrifice fly to right, giving Salt Lake the lead, and Yolmer Sánchez added insurance with an RBI single to left.
In the sixth, a hit batter and three straight walks opened the inning which would plate another run before Walton's flyout to left induced an error that scored Denzer Guzman.
An inning later, Christian Moore's first triple of the year and the third team three-bagger of the year would give way to Nelson Rada's sac-fly to end the game's scoring.
The Salt Lake bullpen shined, retiring 20 of the last 21 Sugar Land batters and allowed just one hit in the final six innings. Hunter Strickland went on to go 1-2-3 in the ninth, leading Salt Lake to a win in the opening game of the series.
Game Notes
The Salt Lake Bees earned its sixth win of the season and fourth win at home taking the victory in their second consecutive home series opener.
The Bees drew a season-high 10 walks as Niko Kavadas, Jose Siri and Denzer Guzman all came up with multiple free passes. The Bees 10 walks set a new season-high for the club giving them 100 on the year which leads the PCL and ranks second in Triple-A behind Worcester (102).
In their last 13 innings of work, the Bees bullpen has punched out 14 batters and has given up just one earned run. Notably, Salt Lake relievers have recorded 7.1 consecutive shutout innings.
The Bees pitching staff allowed just four hits, the fewest given up this season while allowing no more than three runs which they hold a record of 3-0 when allowing three runs or less.
Christian Moore pierced his third Triple-A triple of his career and his first of the season. The last time he tripled was September 3, 2025. He tacked on another walk, his 21st on the year, which continues to lead all of Minor League Baseball and are the most through a team's first 16 games since 2005. Moore has one or more walks in nine of the last 10 games, including three 3-walk games.
Jose Siri recorded his fourth career three walk game. The last time he did that was June 25, 2024 as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Niko Kavadas walked three times. It's the second time he's done that this year and twice in his last four games. Kavadas has reached base in all 10 games he played this year, tying Jose Siri for the second longest active streak on the team trailing Christian Moore with 12 in a row.
Up Next
The two squads face off for game two of the six-game set at 6:35 p.m. inside The Ballpark at America First Square, as the Bees host their second "Dirty Sodas" takeover of the season. The night also coincides with a nationwide celebration of Jackie Robinson, honoring his lasting impact on the game.
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