Strange loss for Tacoma last night. Strange, indeed.
It was a normal game for six innings, and the Rainiers held a 3-2 lead going to the seventh. Starter Steve Garrison had a very good outing, allowing just two runs in six innings and leaving with the lead.
In the top of the seventh, Tacoma had four hits but did not score. Think about that for a minute.
There was a pickoff – after the first two batters singled, Mike Wilson was picked off second base. Then Tacoma hit two more singles, loading the bases, but left them stranded.
In the bottom of the seventh I saw something I have never seen before in a Triple-A game, although I have heard of it: a wild pitch during an intentional walk, allowing the go-ahead run to score.
Brian Moran was on the hill, and with the score tied he was asked to intentionally pass Luis Jimenez with two outs to load the bases for Hank Conger. After three very normal looking intentional balls, the fourth one hit the backstop on the fly and the go-ahead run trotted home.
Conger made the point moot, crushing a three-run homer off a visibly rattled Moran to give the Bees a 7-3 lead.
It was definitely a weird inning.
The seventh was so weird that it seemed perfectly normal in the eighth when Alex Liddi was ejected for arguing about a play he wasn’t even involved in, and Daren Brown was tossed as well.
Brown, who has barely argued at all this season, was out there arguing with an assortment of umpires three times last night, eventually getting tossed defending Liddi. The crew had a rough night.
–
Just In: Jerry Crasnick has reported that the Kansas City Royals have claimed catcher Adam Moore off waivers. That’s really good news for Adam, and I hope he does well there. One would assume that the Royals are going to immediately option him to Omaha.
This means that the Rainiers will be going with the catching firm of Quiroz & Bantz for the forseeable future.
—
Salt Lake has won two of three so far in this five-game series, which continues tonight at 6:05 (Pacific). Tacoma starts RHP Blake Beavan (2-0, 2.52) against Salt Lake RHP Trevor Bell (1-4, 7.56). Catch the broadcast on 850 AM or streaming online right here.
Links:
- We start with the Rainiers game story from The News Tribune.
- The Mariners lost to Oakland on a walk-off home run by Rainiers killer Chris Carter, and Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times is convinced that the M’s are going to send down struggling hitters. I’m not convinced and ask the question, why?
- Mariners first round draft pick Mike Zunino won the Golden Spikes Award as the best player in college baseball. Now he’ll report to the Everett Aqua Sox.
- In the PCL, the Salt Lake paper has a feature on Bees all-star outfielder Kole Calhoun.
- Fresno got creamed by Sacramento, and the River Cats now lead the division by 4.5 games. At least Brett Pill is hitting.
- Reno blasted Colorado Springs while waiting out a pair of rain delays.
- Las Vegas split a doubleheader with Tucson, and the 51s wrap up the first half a day early tonight.
- Here’s a behind-the-scenes story from Tucson about what exactly happens when a player gets called up to the majors.
- Iowa topped Omaha in the 11th inning on Alfredo Amezaga’s RBI single.
- Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp is rehabilitating with Albuquerque tonight and tomorrow.
- Fired by the Angels, Mickey Hatcher turned up in Albuquerque as the Dodgers roving hitting instructor.
- Carlos Corporan’s fifth hit was the game winner in New Orleans.
- Nashville won a pitcher’s duel in Memphis.
- I leave you with the wild and wacky life of professional baseball pitcher Chris Schwinden. I will not identify his team because… well, you’ll see.
Let’s see if Beavan can continue his run of excellent pitching tonight.
Next time guys!!