The Salt Lake Buzz, winners of eight of their first nine games to start the second half of the PCL season, have suddenly found runs - not to mention wins - hard to come by.
The Vancouver Canadians beat the Buzz for the third straight game Saturday night, this time by a 3-2 margin.Salt Lake's once gaudy 8-1 record fell to 8-4, while the Canadians evened their second-half mark at 6-6.
The Buzz fell behind early when Vancouver scored an unearned run off Salt Lake starter Brett Roberts in the bottom of the first. Salt Lake took a brief lead in the fifth when Steve Hazlett drove in a run with a triple and then scored on a wild pitch.
The Canadians regained the advantage in their half of the fifth, however, when Vancouver outfielder Envino Carvajal pounded a two-run homer. Vancouver's Phil Leftwitch hurled the complete game victory, while Roberts was saddled with the loss.
The Buzz will stay in "The Great White North" as they'll travel to Alberta to start a four-game series against the Calgary Cannons tonight. Buzz lefty Dan Serafini, fresh off a brief stay in the majors consisting of one start for the parent Minnesota Twins against the New York Yankees, is scheduled to pitch for Salt Lake.
BUZZ BRIEFS: Veteran Buzz shortstop Denny Hocking completed his major-league rehab assignment and rejoined Minnesota Twins Saturday. To make room for Hocking, Twins outfielder Roberto Kelly was placed on the 15-day disabled list . . . The Buzz will be back in town in time to celebrate Independence Day at Franklin Quest Field. Their game July 4 against Vancouver - which will feature post-game fireworks - is already a sellout.