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*Press Release*UPDATE: Peter Bourjos equaled an 80-year-old Pacific Coast League record with three triples, but that wasn't enough as the Tacoma Rainiers downed Salt Lake 13-11 in 10 innings to spoil the Bees 2010 home opener.
Bourjos delivered three base hits in the first, third and sixth innings to set a franchise record and that gives him a league-leading five triples for the season.
Cory Aldridge capped off a four-run fifth inning to give Salt Lake an 11-8 advantage after trailing 5-0 in the second inning.
Tacoma chipped away with two in the eighth and tied the game in the ninth on a two-out RBI double by Tommy Everidge off of Rafael Rodriguez (0-1), who gave up two runs after two outs in the 10th to give the Rainiers the win.
All nine members of the Bees' starting lineup had at least one hit and they were led by Bourjos with four hits as he built his hitting streak to seven games, while Gary Patchett added three hits with three runs batted in.
Aldridge's homerun extended his hitting streak to eight games, while Michael Ryan added two hits to stretch his streak to seven games.
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SALT LAKE CITY -- In the first home series of the 2010 season, the Bees (3-5) welcome the defending PCL Northern Division Champion Tacoma Rainiers (3-5) in the first of two four-game series at Spring Mobile Ballpark.
After struggling to score in the first few games of the season in Las Vegas, the Bees offense broke out in a big way this week in Reno. In the four-game series against the Aces, Salt Lake averaged nearly six runs per game sparked by several strong performances at the plate.
Outfielder/DH Cory Aldridge led the offensive onslaught in Reno hitting .470 (8/17), including smashing a homerun and a pair of doubles. In the series, Aldridge collected five RBI and scored two runs himself from the clean-up spot.
Both power-hitting first baseman Mark Trumbo and catcher Hank Conger had big games in Reno as well. Trumbo's came on Wednesday when he went three for five with two homeruns, four RBI and three runs scored. Thursday night, Conger added his own pair of bombs when he crushed two homeruns, driving in three.
Third baseman Freddy Sandoval came alive in Reno as well. The on-base machine (.406 OBP) batted .500 (5/10) while drawing three walks and scoring five runs. Veteran outfielder Michael Ryan has hit safely in all seven games he's played this season. Ryan looks to extend his hit streak back in Salt Lake.
The Bees starting pitchers have been a mixed bag so far in 2010. After dazzling in his first start, rookie ace Trevor Reckling struggled with his command against Reno when he gave up four runs and four walks in 5.1 innings pitched. Meanwhile, Sean O'Sullivan bounced back Wednesday after a rough first outing, hurling 6.2 innings while surrendering three earned runs and striking out nine. Other starters Tommy Mendoza and Marco Albano hope to follow suit and improve on their last starts as well.
The two teams enter the series with identical records (3-5) and sit one game behind co-division leaders Portland and Colorado Springs (4-4). Following the Tacoma series, the Bees will host the red-hot Las Vegas 51's (6-2)-who took three of four games from Salt Lake last week in Vegas-before heading to Tacoma for more against the Rainiers.
(Courtesy Salt Lake Bees)
