The Salt Lake Trappers arrived in Butte three days ago with a 3 1/2-game lead in the Pioneer South over the Copper Kings. They left Friday night with only a 1/2-game lead, having lost three straight.
Friday night, the Trappers held a three-run lead after the second inning and a one-run lead in the sixth but gave up three in the sixth and another in the eighth - balked in - and lost 8-6.Salt Lake gratefully left Butte for a two-game series at Pocatello before returning to Derks Field Monday night.
A two-run single by Dan Peltier in the sixth was the most damaging hit against the Trappers.
It came just after Tony St. John had relieved starter Scott Singelyn, who'd helped Butte tie the game with a run-scoring wild pitch.
Peltier's hit made it 7-5, and Don Harris singled and was wild-pitched to second to set up their final run in the eighth. He scored following a groundout on a balk by Scott Bray.
Each team had scored one in the first, and three doubles, by J.D. Ramirez, Pat Waid and Mike Grace prompted Salt Lake's 4-1 lead.
After the Copper Kings tied it up at 4-4 in the fourth inning, Gerard Giustino singled in a run in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 18 games.
Giustino, however, represented the tying run in the ninth when he came to plate and instead was the last out with a fly to left with Joe Beaulac on base.
Shawn Sanderson had opened the inning with a leadoff home run to left, his first pro homer and first pro RBI.
Singelyn took the loss, his first against three wins, and reliever Dave Perez got the win for Butte. Mark Young took his fourth save.