SALT LAKE CITY — Back in mid-June, when Sacramento came to town, the River Cats outscored the Salt Lake Bees 30-10 during a dominant four-game sweep.
Almost exactly one month later, things went even worse for Salt Lake.
Sacramento scored 11 runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined, then cruised to a 14-3 win Monday night. Salt Lake's only runs came in the bottom of the ninth inning.
With the loss, the Bees have now dropped nine of their last 10 games.
"Down 14 runs, there's still something to fight for — you don't want to get shut out at home," Salt Lake manager Keith Johnson said. "We were able to put together some at-bats and score three in the ninth, and hopefully that gives us momentum for tomorrow's game."
For the Bees, the game's low point came in the top of the sixth when Amalio Diaz lost control. The burly reliever loaded the bases with two outs, then walked in two runs on eight pitches. This came after Reggie Willits dropped what should have been an easy out in center. When Diaz finally threw a strike, Chris Carter slammed a ground-rule double that bounced over the wall in right-center.
After a pitching change — Jason Bulger entered the game for Salt Lake —Jai Miller crushed a three-run homer to right field.
By the time the inning ended, Sacramento sported an overwhelming 12-0 lead.
The most frustrating thing for the Bees is that they had a chance to strike first. Jeff Baisley doubled to open the bottom of the second inning, and Salt Lake eventually loaded the bases. Kevin Melillo and Tyson Auer, though, both struck out to end the inning.
It didn't take long for Sacramento to take advantage, as back-to-back doubles by Andy LaRoche and Adrian Cardenas resulted in the game's first run. The Bees loaded the bases again in the bottom of the eighth before Melillo grounded into an inning-ending double play.
"It seems, inevitably, when you have a runner on third base with less than two outs and you don't get that guy in, then the first hitter of the next inning hits a home run or something else crazy happens that's positive for the other team," Johnson said. "That's just the nature of the game."
Sacramento's Carlos Hernandez threw six scoreless innings to pick up the win, while Cardenas and Carson both finished with two hits.
Entering the ninth, Adam Rosales and Josh Donaldson were the only Sacramento players without a hit. With two outs, Rosales hit a single to right then Donaldson blasted a two-run homer over the wall in left.
Andrew Romine hit a two-run single for Salt Lake in the ninth. Romine then scored on a sac fly by McAnulty.
The Bees and River Cats will play again tonight at 7:05 p.m. at Spring Mobile Ballpark.
email: mpayne@desnews.com