Bernardo Brito is expected to hit game-winning home runs. Jeff Carter isn't.
Both did it Thursday as the Salt Lake Buzz swept a doubleheader from Colorado Springs at Franklin Quest Field.The red-hot Buzz are suddenly just one-game out of the PCL Northern Division second-half lead. While the major league players are now on a mid-season strike break, the PCL pennant races will, of course, continue. Just 24 regular season games remain.
Thursday's opener featured the type of situation Brito seems to thrive on - two outs, two on late in a tied ballgame. With the kids in the left-field terrace on their feet anticipating the wild chase for the souvenir ball, Brito delivered. He sent the 2-2 pitch from Sky Sox reliever Mickey Weston over the fence for his 94th, 95th and 96th RBI, giving the Buzz an 8-5 win.
"People expect me to go deep every at bat," Brito said. "It's crazy."
"Every time (Brito) steps up to the plate he creates excitement," Buzz manager Scott Ullger said.
Carter, unlike Brito, isn't known for his power. The switch hitter hadn't hit a homer lefthanded all season until he ended the scheduled seven-inning nightcap in the bottom of the eighth. His blast to right on the first pitch he saw from Weston gave the Buzz an 8-7 victory.
"They'd been pitching me in all night, so I thought on the first pitch I'd try a good size swing to see what would happen," Carter said.
While Weston gave up both game-winning homers for a nightmarish night, Salt Lake's Bill Wissler won both games out of the bullpen. Wissler pitched three innings of no-hit ball to record his fourth and fifth wins of the year.
"Bill Wissler did a heck of a job at the end of both games," Ullger said. "He's struggled for most of the year, but he looks like he's getting more confidence now."
"I was hitting my spots tonight and getting ahead of the hitters," Wissler said. "I hadn't been getting ahead (in previous games) and I was getting hurt because of it, but tonight I was throwing the first pitch for a strike, which is something I've been working on."
Salt Lake trailed 4-0 in the first game and 3-0 in the second but was able to battle back both times.
The 8,480 fans were treated to a home-run contest by both teams. Ten different players - five on each team - homered. Seven of Salt Lake's eight runs in the opener were the result of round-trippers. David McCarty and Steve Dunn each hit two-run shots prior to Brito's three-run game-clincher. In the second game Marty Cordova started a four-run fourth for the Buzz with a solo homer.
The Buzz swept not only the twinbill Thursday, but also the four-game series. It marked the first series sweep in franchise history. Salt Lake is now .500 for the second half with a 24-24 mark. The Buzz trail Southern Division leading Calgary by just one game.
Salt Lake continues its 12-game homestand tonight when it hosts Phoenix in the first game of a four-game set. RHP Mike Misuraca (2-2, 4.84 ERA) is scheduled to face RHP Chris Hook (7-2, 4.95).
BUZZ BRIEFS - Reliever Dave Stevens will rejoin the Buzz in time for Saturday night's game. Stevens started the season in Salt Lake but was called up by the Minnesota Twins May 19. He went 5-2 with a 6.80 ERA and no saves in 24 appearances with the Twins and was was 5-0 with a 1.01 ERA and two saves in 14 games with Salt Lake prior to the call-up . . . Wednesday's rainout hurt Salt Lake's chances of drawing 700,000 fans for the season, but the Buzz are still on pace to break the PCL record of 670,563 held by the 1946 San Francisco Seals. With 12 home games remaining, Salt Lake has drawn 580,597 (10,010 average). It will need an average of 7,498 fans per game the rest of the way to break the league record.