Valdez Goes the Distance as Bees Beat Rainiers
May 5, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Salt Lake Bees News Release
César Valdez threw his second nine-inning complete game of 2022 Thursday night as the Salt Lake Bees beat the Tacoma Rainiers 8-1. The Bees climbed back over .500 with the win, improving to 14-13 on the season, while Tacoma fell to 8-19.
Valdez struck out eight batters, gave up just one run on eight hits, and surpassed 1,600 innings for his professional career. The 37-year-old became the only pitcher in all of Major and Minor League Baseball to have thrown two complete games this season. The only other pitcher to have even one complete game in 2022 is Walker Buehler of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Bees' offense put together 15 hits and batted around in a five-run fifth inning. Dillon Thomas and David MacKinnon both went 3-for-5 while Kean Wong and Austin Romine both had two hits on the night. Thomas' single in the first inning was the 700th hit in his professional career.
Defensively, the Bees turned three double plays in the game, all started by Wong at third base.
It was a scoreless affair through five and a half innings of play, until the Salt Lake bats exploded for five runs on five hits and two walks in the bottom of the sixth. Monte Harrison hit a two-run single and stole second and third in the inning.
The Rainiers scored their lone run in the top of the eighth, but the Bees answered right back with three more of their own. Valdez struck out two batters and made the assist at first base to finish the game and go the distance.
Tacoma and Salt Lake will face off again tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. at Smith's Ballpark.
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 5, 2022
- Five-Run First Inning Fuels Corazones in 8-4 Win over the Chupacabras - Reno Aces
- Sugar Land Gets Past El Paso, 2-1 - El Paso Chihuahuas
- OKC Dodgers Postgame Notes - May 5, 2022 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Valdez Goes the Distance as Bees Beat Rainiers - Salt Lake Bees
- Albuquerque Splits Twinbill - Albuquerque Isotopes
- "La Familia" Falls to Abejas de Salt Lake on Cinco de Mayo - Tacoma Rainiers
- Gameday Info: Sacramento River Cats at Las Vegas Aviators - May 5, 2022 - Sacramento River Cats
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Salt Lake (5:35 PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - May 5, 2022 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Garrett Extends On-Base Streak to 23 Games in Reno's 6-3 Loss to Round Rock - Reno Aces
- Tacoma Errors Give Bees Walk-Off Win to Even Series - Salt Lake Bees
- Salt Lake Sneaks by Tacoma in the 9th, 3-2 - Tacoma Rainiers
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.
Other Recent Salt Lake Bees Stories
- Salt Lake vs Sacramento Series Recap - 7/8 - 7/13
- Bees Blank in Finale, Settle for Series Split
- Bees' Early Lead Erodes in 16-11 Shootout Loss to Sacramento
- Three Home Run Third Fuels Bees in 6-4 Win over River Cats
- Kerry Deals Quality Starts, Bees Rally in 6-4 Win Over River Cats
