PCL: Salt Lake Bees win final home game thanks to homer by Boesch

The Bees' home season has ended, but Brennan Boesch's pursuit of the Pacific Coast League's batting title continues.

Boesch went 2-for-4 including a tie-breaking home run in the eighth inning Wednesday, giving Salt Lake a 6-5 win over New Orleans in its final game of the year at Smith's Ballpark.

Boesch started the night in a three-way battle for the PCL batting championship. He was hitting .331, just behind Reno's Andy Marte (.335) and Matt den Dekker of Las Vegas (.334). Asked if he's ever led his league in batting, Boesch said: "I have not, so this is fun. You want to make the best out of whatever situation you're in, so this [year] couldn't have gone better."

Boesch's success hasn't surprised Bees' manager Keith Johnson.

"Just the consistency of his approach," he said. "Every day he comes to the ballpark and prepares himself the same way. He works on the same things and he works on them the same way."

Boesch, 29, attended Cal. After being Detroit's third-round pick in 2006 draft, it took him only four years to reach the major leagues.

In three seasons with the Tigers, Boesch averaged 14 homers and 58 RBIs.

After Detroit released him before the 2013 season, Boesch signed with the Yankees. But he struggled with injuries and played only 23 games in New York before being released. Boesch signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels last winter. Except for two brief call-ups — one in April and one in mid-August — he has starred in Salt Lake.

"I've enjoyed it," he said. "Obviously Triple-A isn't the ideal situation for where I want to be. But Salt Lake could not have been a better place to reestablish what I'm capable of doing. So I'm thankful to the Bees. ... It's been great for me to play every day."

Depending on what happens during the Bees' season-ending five-game series at El Paso, Boesch's year could culminate in a batting title.

Said Johnson: "If you get a guy like that, who knows what he wants to do at the plate and sticks with it for as long as Brennan, the average ... does not surprise me. This is a guy who has been in the big leagues and got there at an early age. He has the pedigree, so, no, it's not surprising." —

Storylines

O Brennan Boesch's solo homer in the eighth inning gives the Bees a 6-5 win over New Orleans.

• Boesch went 2-for-4 as he continues his quest for the Pacific Coast League batting title.