The Rainiers lost the series finale to Sacramento last night, 6-5. Tacoma had the tying runner in scoring position with two outs in the ninth when the game ended.
Tacoma lost three of four to Sacramento, and all four games were decided by two runs or less. After winning 7 of 9 immediately after the all-star break, the team has now lost 6 of 7 for a total record of 8-8 since the break.
On the plus side, Matt Tuiasosopo showed some signs of life at the plate the last two days. He had a key single in the ninth on Thursday, and then last night he doubled off the left field fence with the bases loaded in the seventh inning, before homering off the scoreboard in right-center in the ninth.
Tonight the Rainiers host the Las Vegas 51s in a 7:05 game at Cheney Stadium, and you can hear it on 850 AM and streaming online right here. Tacoma starts LHP Chris Seddon (6-5, 5.97) against Las Vegas RHP Scott Richmond (6-8, 6.70).
The key player to watch on Las Vegas is third baseman Brett Lawrie, who is off the DL and raking. The 21-year-old Canadian is batting .360 with 18 homers and 59 RBI in 64 games, and he’s been hot lately. Las Vegas also has the leading hitter in the PCL, first baseman David Cooper (.372).
I would also like to point out that the other day, after 102 games, the won-loss record of the Las Vegas 51s was 51-51. Spooky, huh?
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The Mariners made a trade today, sending former Rainiers pitchers Doug Fister and David Pauley to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for outfielder Casper Wells, pitcher Charlie Furbush, third baseman Francisco Martinez, and a player to be named later.
Wells and Furbush will join the Mariners, and Martinez is a 20-year-old prospect who is already at Class-AA – let’s go ahead and assume he’ll report to AA-Jackson.
For expert analysis of this trade, I have several links below.
In another roster move, the Mariners called up reliever Dan Cortes from Tacoma, optioning Aaron Laffey to the Rainiers. It’s a good thing Forrest Snow was able to finish that game yesterday, or else Tacoma would have a bullpen problem tonight.
Links:
- We lead off with the Rainiers game story from The News Tribune.
- We have analysis of the Mariners trade from multiple places: Baseball Prospectus, Baseball America, John Sickels, and Lookout Landing.
- The Mariners made the Laffey/Cortes exchange because the bullpen is overworked after Erik Bedard got knocked out in the second inning.
- Las Vegas beat Reno last night, with Chris Woodward going 3-for-5 with two RBI. Blue Jays top prospect Kyle Drabek started and got the win – this means he won’t pitch against Tacoma. Ryan Langerhans homered in his first game for Reno. Catcher Lucas May has been a nice addition for the Aces.
- Fresno edged Salt Lake, 3-2, on Conor Gillaspie’s eighth inning home run. Brett Pill is having a big year for the Grizzlies.
- Tucson’s James Darnell is adjusting well to the PCL.
- Breaking news from the Memphis Commercial-Appeal: Triple-A players “yearn for a chance to play in the majors.”
- Your latest Royals prospect is 21-year-old Omaha catcher Salvador Perez, who hit a grand slam yesterday.
- Collin DeLome hit a pinch-hit home run and Oklahoma City beat Nashville.
It’s another beautiful day for baseball in Tacoma – hey, that’s three in a row!
Booth, Justice and the American Pastime 
Tuiasosopo Nation Still Believes!