Jason Giambi provided the one positive on an otherwise dismal night for the Sky Sox.

Giambi’s two-run home run that bounced off the top of a sign 405 feet from home plate roused the Security Service Field crowd of 6,531 that until then found nothing to like in a 14-2 drubbing at the hands of Salt Lake.

“It was just a fastball that was little bit up in the zone,” said Giambi, who went 1-for-2 and drew a pair of walks. “I’ve been feeling more and more comfortable with every at bat and it was nice to get one.”

The crowd booed the Bees pitchers through Giambi’s first three plate appearances, each of which started with 3-0 counts. Giambi said the balls didn’t bother him.

“I’m just trying see as many pitches as I can and get as ready as fast I can,” said Giambi, who has lived up to reputation as an on-base machine in his four games in Colorado Springs, reaching safely in 9-of-15 appearances (.600). “So it’s good to see pitches and get my walks and stuff like that. I feel like I’m where I want to be.”

That can’t be said for the rest of the Sky Sox, who have been outscored by Salt Lake 29-5 in the last three games. Their 7½-game lead over Tacoma has plunged to one in the span of eight days.

All facets of the game shut down on Saturday night. The pitchers — started by another subpar performance from Jhoulys Chacin — issued seven walks, including two with the bases loaded. The defense committed two errors and played at least two other potential outs into hits. And the offense mustered just one hit, a Paul Phillips infield single, until Giambi’s blast in the eighth.

Salt Lake built a 6-0 lead after four innings and poured it on with eight in the eighth as the first six batters in the inning reached base and scored.

Of all the disappointments, Chacin might have been the biggest. The organization’s top-rated pitching prospect has thrown duds in three of his last four starts — including one outing with the Rockies.

MAJOR LEAGUE MOMENT

Salt Lake second baseman Sean Rodriguez hit his third home run in four games in Colorado Springs, driving a Jhoulys Chacin offering over the left-field wall in the second inning for his 29th homer of the season.

Sky Sox catcher Paul Phillips tagged out Salt Lake’s Terry Evans on a throw from third baseman Mark 
Bellhorn for the second out of the third inning Saturday night at Security Service Field. Photo by KEVIN KRECK, THE GAZETTE