If the Salt Lake Buzz meet the Vancouver Canadians in the PCL Northern Division playoffs next month - which is starting to look more and more likely - it's safe to say Vancouver center fielder Marquis Riley will be on his toes.
That's because Riley was caught being a little too nonchalant and Salt Lake's Steve Liddle and Steve Hazlett made him pay during the Buzz's 6-5 victory Thursday night at Franklin Quest Field.Hazlett's hustle and Liddle's gutsy coaching decision gave the Buzz what proved to be the game-winning run.
With runners at the corners and the game tied, 4-4, Buzz first baseman Van Snider hit a routine single to center. Brian Raabe scored easily from third. Liddle, the Buzz third base coach, saw Riley taking his time getting the ball back to the infield, so he kept Hazlett running right around third and into home. The play at the plate wasn't even that close, as Hazlett was able to score all the way from first on a single and the Buzz had a 6-4 lead in the seventh inning.
"It takes a baserunner that's hustling the whole way to do that," Liddle said. "If an outfielder lobs the ball in, we keep going . . . (Riley's) throw was a lollipop into second base. He took it for granted that Hazlett would stop (at third)."
Said Buzz manager Phil Roof, "Steve Liddle and Steve Hazlett were the heroes tonight. They were why we won that ballgame."
Actually, Liddle and Hazlett were only two of a handful of heroes Thursday when the Buzz won their season-best sixth consecutive game. Right fielder Riccardo Ingram and shortstop Denny Hocking each had two-run homers. Catcher Damian Miller kept up his torrid pace with three doubles, while starting pitcher Marc Barcelo gave up just four hits in six innings before tiring in the seventh. Reliever Carlos Pulido pitched well and earned the victory, while Dan Naulty picked up his third save in five days.
The red-hot Buzz finished their homestand with a 7-1 record. They lead the PCL Northern Division's second half standings with a 27-21 record. Should the Buzz win the second half they would play first-half champ Vancouver in a best-of-five playoff series next month.
There are 24 regular season games remaining for the Buzz and 16 of those are on the road. The Buzz travel to Las Vegas today for a game against the Stars.
"Coming off a 7-1 homestand will make that plane ride really easy," Roof said. "We just need to keep going. We're being aggressive and playing good defense."
The Buzz actually trailed 1-0 as the game was a pitcher's duel between Barcelo and Vancouver's Phil Leftwich through five innings. Ingram's homer to left, his eighth of the year, gave the Buzz a 2-1 lead in the sixth.
The Canadians regained the lead with three runs in the seventh, but Hocking's two-run shot to right tied the score, 4-4, setting up Snider's two-run single that gave the Buzz the lead for good.
Tonight in Las Vegas LHP John Courtright (3-5, 5.88 ERA) will pitch for the Buzz against the Stars' RHP Denny Harriger (6-8, 4.13 ERA).
BUZZ BRIEFS: It had been rumored that Minnesota's utility infielder Jeff Reboulet would be put on the disabled list and that either Raabe or Hocking would be called up from the Buzz. Now it appears Reboulet will not go on the d.l. after all - which is good news for Salt Lake with the pennant race going on . . . . Miller is 9-for-12 in his last three games. Roof admitted he's contemplating using Miller at catcher every night instead of alternating with Mike Durant, as he has done all year, since Miller is so hot at the plate right now . . . . Hocking's homer kept his hitting streak alive at 13 games . . . . Outfielder/designated hitter Patrick Lennon, who hasn't started a game since July 29 due to a leg injury, is expected to play during the Las Vegas series.