Chihuahuas fall 4-2 to Salt Lake in game delayed by weather Tuesday
EL PASO, Texas – The El Paso Chihuahuas hit two home runs in the bottom of the ninth inning but lost to the Salt Lake Bees 4-2 Tuesday. The Bees and Chihuahuas split the four-game series and El Paso won the season series 10 games to six.
Salt Lake designated hitter Rafael Ortega led off the top of the first inning with a home run to right field, giving the Bees a 1-0 lead. Austin Hedges’ throwing error in the fourth inning helped the Bees gain a 2-0 advantage and Todd Cunningham’s two-run double put Salt Lake ahead 4-0 in the seventh. Nate Smith pitched six shutout innings for Salt Lake, with the only baserunner against him coming on a Hector Sanchez fifth inning single.
With the Chihuahuas batting in the bottom of the eighth inning, a thunderstorm delayed the game for an hour and 18 minutes. After the delay, Nick Torres and Diego Goris hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the bottom of the ninth, the first set of Chihuahuas’ back-to-back homers since Hunter Renfroe and Hedges onJuly 24at Sacramento. The Chihuahuas did not score again in the ninth and dropped their second straight game.
Tuesdaywas the second time in the last three games El Paso was held to four hits or less. Walter Lockett allowed only one earned run in six innings in his Triple-A debut for the Chihuahuas.
Gameday Box Score:http://www.milb.com/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2016_08_23_slcaaa_elpaaa_1&mode=gameday
Team Records:Salt Lake (58-70), El Paso (68-62)
Next Game:Wednesdayat 6:35 pm vs. Albuquerque at Isotopes Park. El Paso RHP Bryan Rodriguez (4-6, 5.35) vs. Albuquerque LHP Harrison Musgrave (8-6, 4.42). Game coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on 600 ESPN El Paso andwww.epchihuahuas.com.
