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SALT LAKE CITY — Offense has been a struggle for the 1-9 Salt Lake Bees in the first 10 games of the season.
Through the first 10 games, Salt Lake’s offense has ranked 12th in the Pacific Coast League, averaging just 3.7 runs a game.
Similarly, the Bees’ pitching was also in the lower third of the league, with Salt Lake surrendering 5.9 runs a game.
The Bees had a better offensive afternoon Sunday, but held the rest of the script consistent against the Sacramento River Cats, falling 15-7 at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City.
Sacramento had a season-high 21 hits in the win.
Bees manager Dave Anderson said Salt Lake struggled to locate pitches against the hot-hitting River Cats.
"We had a close ballgame into the sixth inning, then we made an error and a couple mistakes there and it turned into a big inning," he said. "We came back and scored some runs to get back in the game a little bit, then we left some balls elevated and ran into a pretty hot-hitter today."
"Anytime you get caught up in a win-loss thing, you run into trouble," said Bees manager Dave Anderson. "It's like you're in a basketball game and look at the clock-hoping it runs out. We've just got to concentrate on playing better."
The River Cats scored in the first inning, with an Adam Duvall double scoring Brett Jackson. Duvall would double again in the third inning, scoring later on a Jarrett Parker single. Parker would score later in the inning, on a John Bowker double.
To counter Sacramento’s three early runs, Salt Lake scored runs in the second and third innings. In the second, Bees designated hitter Carlos Perez doubled, scoring right fielder Roger Kieschnick. Salt Lake added a run in the third on a two-out double by left fielder Grant Green, which scored third baseman Kyle Kubitza.
Salt Lake tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth, as a two-out double by second baseman Alex Yarbrough scored Perez.
The River Cats answered in the fifth, with Duvall hitting a deep solo home run to left field, giving Sacramento a 4-3 lead. Sacramento scored four runs in the sixth inning, with a Juan Perez double plating two runs. A Duvall two-run RBI triple, along with a Darren Ford solo homer, helped Sacramento score three runs in the seventh.
Salt Lake countered with three runs in the bottom of the seventh before Sacramento countered with four runs in the eighth to take a 15-7 lead, keyed by an Ehire Adrianza home run.
With an in-field single in the ninth inning, Adam Duvall hit for the cycle. Duvall finished the day going 5-of-6 with four RBIs.
Salt Lake pitchers combined to surrender 13 earned runs, while allowing 13 extra-base hits.
Bees starting pitcher Drew Rucinski started the season with the Los Angeles Angels, and pitched twice for the Angels before being optioned to Salt Lake on April 15.
In Rucinski’s first start for Salt Lake, he lasted just three innings, surrendering six hits and three earned runs.
Sacramento pitcher Robert Coello earned the win, throwing five innings and surrendering three earned runs. Bees reliever Edgar Ibarra took the loss.
The River Cats have won the first three games of the series against the Bees. However, Anderson said the team simply needs to focus on playing better in order to win.
“(Winning comes when) you stop thinking about losing and start thinking about playing better,” he said. “Anytime you get caught up in a win-loss thing, you run into trouble. It’s like you’re in a basketball game and look at the clock, hoping it runs out. We’ve just got to concentrate on playing better.”
The Bees and River Cats will conclude a four-game series on Monday, with a first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Smith’s Ballpark. Salt Lake left-hander Andrew Heaney (1-0, 4.70 ERA) will pitch against Sacramento lefty Brualio Lara (0-1, 3.72).
