Suddenly your Tacoma Rainiers are winning games left and right.
Luis Jimenez doubled home Carlos Peguero with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday, giving Tacoma a 3-2 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs.
It was Tacoma’s third win in a row, and the sixth win in the last seven games. Three of the wins have come in Tacoma’s last at-bat, with two “walk-off” wins at home.
Jimenez had a big game on Sunday. He had two singles early in the game, and then he launched a game-tying home run to left-center in the seventh inning, making it 2-2. His game-winning double finished off a 4-for-4 day. He has homered in his last two games.
The pitching was outstanding, again. D.J. Mitchell started and lasted six innings, giving up two runs on a Chase Lambin homer in the fifth.
It looked like Mitchell might suffer another tough-luck loss – he left the game trailing, 2-1. Danny Farquhar relieved him and pitched three scoreless innings, earning his first Tacoma win when Jimenez got his big hits.
New Orleans starting pitcher Tom Koehler threw well, allowing two runs in seven innings and getting no decision. He was bidding to become the PCL’s first 12-game winner.
The Zephyrs have a former Rainiers infielder: Jeff Dominguez started at second base, going 1-for-4. Dominguez served as a Rainiers utility infielder in 2010, appearing in about 30 games. He was drafted by the Mariners out of high school and played in the system for six years before leaving as a free agent.
Tonight’s game is at 7:05, and you can hear it on South Sound Sports 850 AM and streaming online right here. Pacific Northwest broadcasting legend Bob Robertson will be joining me on the air tonight – he’ll call the middle innings. Tacoma starts LHP Steve Garrison (1-3, 4.89) against New Orleans RHP Omar Poveda (2-1, 3.52).
Links:
- We start with the Rainiers game story from The News Tribune.
- The Mariners lost to the Yankees yesterday, 6-2. Defensive problems – a rare issue for the Mariners – were the root of the loss. Now they move on to Baltimore.
- USS Mariner has its weekly Minor League Wrap.
- In the PCL, Andrew Brown is back with Colorado Springs – and he went deep in the Sky Sox 10-3 win at Omaha.
- Iowa had two key players called up by the Chicago Cubs before a 2-1 loss to Reno.
- Hank Conger homered the Salt Lake Bees back to .500.
- Tucson drilled Albuquerque, 10-8. Tucson announcer Tim Hagerty called this the “hard to spell cities series.” I concur.
- Sacramento outfielder Shane Peterson hit a pair of homers and the River Cats won their sixth in a row.
- Top prospect Shelby Miller tossed a gem and Memphis defeated Fresno, 9-2. Miller won the PCL Pitcher of the Week award – the Rainiers should face him in Memphis this weekend.
It’s Bark in the Park tonight – you can bring your dog to the game.
