Opportunity knocked, but the Salt Lake Buzz weren't answering Friday.
Leaving the bases loaded on three occasions en route to stranding 13 runners, the Buzz dropped a 6-2 decision to the Vancouver Canadians.The Buzz, however, remain atop the Northern Division standings thanks to Calgary's 4-0 loss to Tucson. Salt Lake (8-3) holds a one-game lead over the Cannons.
Meanwhile, Vancouver's second straight win over the Buzz improved the Canadians to 5-6 as the division race begins to tighten.
Vancouver jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the first inning Friday thanks to an RBI single, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly against Buzz starter LaTroy Hawkins. Salt Lake never recovered - though the Buzz had plenty of chances.
Mike Durant's RBI single with no outs and the bases loaded in the second inning closed the deficit to 3-1 before the next three Salt Lake batters were retired in order.
The Canadians extended their lead to 5-1 in the seventh when Mike Wolff knocked in a pair of runs with a double. The lead swelled to 6-2 with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Salt Lake, which drew eight walks in the contest, loaded the bases again in the ninth, but could manage only one run - a single by Jamie Ogden with two outs - before Denny Hocking's game-ending pop up to shallow right field.
The Buzz will send Brett Roberts to the mound tonight in an attempt to split the series.
BUZZ BRIEFS: Former major leaguer Vince Coleman, who signed a minor league contract with the Angels Thursday, will make his debut with the Canadians in today's series finale (8 p.m.) with the Buzz . . . Salt Lake will head to Calgary for a four-game set beginning Sunday. Following the contests with the Cannons, the Buzz will entertain Vancouver (July 4-7) before hosting the Triple-A All-Star gathering July 9-10 . . . The July 4 game with the Canadians, featuring a postgame fireworks show, is already sold out.