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SALT LAKE CITY -- Former Salt Lake Bees pitcher Nick Adenhart died early Thursday morning after being involved in a car crash in California. It happened just a couple of hours after he pitched a game for the L.A. Angels.
Adenhart made his first opening day roster with the Angels this year, and last night pitched six scoreless innings against the Oakland Athletics. He left with a 4-0 lead.
After the game, he was a passenger in a car, along with three others, when a minivan ran a red light and broadsided the vehicle. Two people inside the car died on the scene, and Adenhart died after undergoing surgery early Thursday morning.
The driver of the minivan fled the scene and was captured a short time later. According to reports, his blood-alcohol level was above the legal limit and he was driving on a suspended license because of a previous drunken driving conviction.
Adenhart pitched for the Orem Owls in 2005, and then pitched for the Salt Lake Bees last season.
"It's a sad day for the Bees, the Angels organization; very tragic. We're all, obviously, saddened by the loss of not only a great pitcher, but but a great person," said Bees manager Bobby Mitchell.
Bees announcer Steve Klauke said, "Everybody was his friend, and he was a guy that got along with just about everybody."
Adenhart was only 22 years old.
E-mail: rzundel@ksl.com
