A solid 7-4 win by the Salt Lake Stingers, an injured fan and a bobbled foul ball by ex-Governor Mike Leavitt were the highlights of Monday night's game at Franklin Covey Field, July 5.

The Stingers pounded out five runs in the first two innings, then held off the first-place Tacoma Rainiers for the win. Starting pitcher Chris Bootcheck had another solid outing, pitching seven innings while striking out four batters and giving up four runs. Relievers Yoshitaka Mizuo and Brandon Emanuel combined to keep the Rainiers scoreless for the final two innings.

Stingers Manager Mike Brumley said he was pleased with his team's performance, including improved pitching and solid hitting.

"It's nice to see the club play well," Brumley said. "It was a well-played game."

In the fifth inning, a splinter off the bat of Salt Lake second baseman Brian Gordon flew into the stands, catching a fan right in the arm. Guest services and emergency personnel immediately responded, escorting the injured fan out amid an excited crowd and taking him to the hospital. The splinter was removed later at the hospital.

Ex-Governor and current Environmental Protection Agency head Mike Leavitt was also thrust into the spotlight. In the early stages of the game, a fast-moving foul ball left the field of play and sailed right at the suite where Leavitt was sitting. While holding his plate in one hand, Leavitt tried to catch the foul ball with his other, barely missing and watching the ball bounce into the adjacent suite. The lucky recipient of the ball tried to give the ball back to Leavitt, but Leavitt refused.

Brumley specifically noted Bootcheck's focus before and during the game.

"His focus has been good," Brumley said.

In fact, Brumley said nobody wanted to be around Bootcheck as he prepared for the game.

"For certain guys, the nastier the better," Brumley said.

Reliever Brandon Emanuel also pitched exceptionally well, striking out two and getting two more to ground out to end the game. Emanuel had struggled earlier in the season in a starting role, but has improved as a reliever.

"I am starting to feel more comfortable [as a reliever]," Emanuel said. "I feed off the adrenaline."

The Stingers pounded out 14 hits in a balanced effort, with every Stinger getting at least one hit on the night. Alex Pelaez started the scoring for the Stingers and drove in the first run in the first inning, allowing Zach Sorensen to score on a sacrifice fly. Dallas McPherson followed with a single and Gordon followed with another single, driving in two runs to put the Stingers up 3-0 in the first.

In the fifth inning, with the Stingers holding on to a 5-3 lead, catcher Wil Nieves connected on a pitch and sent it flying over the right field fence for his sixth home run of the year, giving the Stingers an extra cushion.

"I was just looking to put the ball in play," Nieves said.

Copyright Brigham Young University 7 Jul 2004