Trailing 3-2 entering the seventh inning Saturday night at Smith's Ballpark, the Salt Lake Bees rallied with three runs thanks to a bases-clearing throwing error by the Omaha Storm Chasers.

Salt Lake right-hander Adam Wilk pitched seven strong innings to improve to 5-9 on the season while earning the praise of Bees third baseman Kaleb Coward.

“Adam threw the ball well,” Coward said. “He kept the ball in the zone and got ahead early in the count and I think it showed how well he competed tonight.”

Fans in attendance saw Los Angeles Angels outfielder Collin Cowgill, who started in left field and batted second for the Bees. Cowgill appeared in 35 games with the Angels before being placed on the DL with a wrist injury suffered on May, 26.

After popping up in the first, Cowgill led off the fourth inning with a line-drive double to right center. Coward fought his way out of a two-out, 0-2 count by slapping a single to center that scored Cowgill. Coward stole second base and gave the Bees a 2-0 lead when a red-hot Grant Green singled to center.

Wilk was sailing along through the first four innings but ran into a self-induced jam in the fifth. Wilk recorded the initial out but promptly allowed runners to first and second. A double steal from the Storm Chasers was followed by two wild pitches from Wilk that led to a three-run fifth and a 3-2 lead for Omaha.

“Wilk did an outstanding job,” Bees manager Dave Anderson said. “We had the one inning where the wild pitch ended up costing us a run with two outs.”

Bees center fielder Gary Brown led off the seventh inning with a single. He was moved along on a bunt from Ryan Jackson. After Kyle Kubitza walked, Brown and Kubitza pulled off a double steal followed by Efren Navarro loading the bases after a walk.

View Comments

Cowart’s squib to third forced a tough play for Orlando Calixte, whose errant throw to first cleared the bases and put Salt Lake up 5-3.

That cost Omaha the game.

“We put some really good at-bats together in one inning, and then they made a mistake and we took advantage of it,” Anderson said.

Salt Lake reliever Vinnie Pestano earned his fifth save of the season.

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.