After winning four of five games in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion in Colorado Springs to virtually lock up their division title, the Salt Lake Bees returned to Franklin Covey Field to begin a season-ending, eight-game homestand on Monday night against the Fresno Grizzlies.
On Monday, though, no rally was necessary.
The Bees ripped the Grizzlies, 8-0, thanks in large part to the big bat of third baseman Matt Brown, who blasted a pair of two-run homers to left.
"You can't plan that," said Brown of his third multi-homer game of the season. "You get lucky sometimes, I guess."
Salt Lake is now 6 1/2 games ahead of second-place Colorado Springs with seven games to go. That means the Bees' magic number is one. A single Bees win — or Sky Sox loss, for that matter — will clinch the team's second consecutive PCL Pacific Northern Division title.
"All I can say is that you don't want to count on anything until you wrap it up," said Bees manager Brian Harper. "But I like the spot we are in. Being 6-and-a half up with seven to go — I like our chances."
Bees shortstop Brandon Wood gave the team the lead it would never surrender with a solo homer in the second inning. It was Brown who put the Grizzlies away, however, hitting both of his two-run homers off Fresno starter Travis Blackley.
"Overall, it was just a real good game for us," said Harper. "We played good defense, had solid pitching and hit the ball well."
Bees starter Steven Shell improved to 7-3 on the season by pitching six strong innings, giving up just four hits with five strikeouts. Salt Lake relievers Aaron Pullin and Matt Wilhite completed the shutout victory.
"That was the best game he's pitched all year," said Harper of Shell.
Salt Lake's current homestand will run through Labor Day. The PCL playoffs will begin on Sept. 5 when the Bees host the Pacific Southern Division champs, likely the Sacramento River Cats, for the first two games in a best-of-five series. The first-round playoff series will finish up on the road for the Bees.
Of course, that's assuming they don't end the regular season on a seven-game losing streak at the same time the Sky Sox go on a seven-game winning streak.
Salt Lake's first chance to try to clinch the title will be tonight when the Bees will send Henry Bonilla (11-7, 5.61 ERA) to the mound tonight Fresno's Chris Begg (10-5, 4.36).
BEE LINES: The 2007 12-man All-PCL Team was announced on Monday. The Bees, despite being on the verge of a division championship, didn't land a single player on the team, which was voted on by the league's field managers and media representatives ... Colorado Springs lost at Sacramento on Monday. The River Cats have a four-game lead over Tucson in their divisional race with seven to play ... Prior to Monday's game, the Grizzlies had been a thorn in Salt Lake's side this season. Fresno still leads the season series 9-4 ... Monday night's attendance was 7,206.
E-mail: lojo@desnews.com