51s’ big rally not enough to top Bees
The 51s mounted a ninth-inning comeback Monday night, with Ryan Shealy’s grand slam sparking a six-run rally, but Las Vegas fell just short in a 10-9 loss to the host Salt Lake Bees.
Trailing 10-3, the 51s (45-39) opened the ninth by sandwiching walks to Danny Mastroianni and David Cooper around a Manny Mayorson single off Bees reliever Ryan Brasier. Shealy then hit his bases-clearing bomb to make it 10-7.
Adam Loewen singled before Brasier finally induced back-to-back groundouts, with Loewen moving to third. Jason Lane chased Brasier with an RBI double to make it 10-8.
Salt Lake reliever Kevin Jepsen was greeted immediately by a Yan Gomes line-drive single that scored Lane. But Mastroianni, up for the second time of the inning, was called out on strikes to end the game.
Shealy also had a two-run double in the third inning and finished 2-for-5 with seven RBIs. Mastroianni went 3-for-5 with a triple, a walk and three runs scored, and Mayorson was 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored.
The 51s dug a big hole by allowing nine runs in the first four innings, including a five-run second that featured five singles and two doubles. Tyson Auer had a two-run double in the inning for Salt Lake (38-47).
The two teams continue their three-game series tonight at 6:05.