Sunday A Fun Day For Rainiers

Tacoma beat El Paso on Sunday afternoon, 2-0, in a clean, crisp, and entertaining game.

Justin Germano started and went the distance, tossing a seven-hitter for his sixth career complete game shutout. It was his first shutout since 2011, when he pitched a perfect game for Columbus of the International League.

Germano had to sweat it out, though. After escaping a jam in the top of the ninth, he knew he was done for the day but the game was still undecided: it was 0-0, because Jason Lane tossed a gem for El Paso.

Against reliever Jerry Sullivan, Leon Landry hit a one-out single to center. John Hicks followed with a potential inning-ending double play grounder to third, but El Paso was playing catcher Rocky Gale at second base. It was Gale’s first career game at the position, and let’s be kind and just say he’s no Robinson Cano on the double-play pivot. Hicks beat the relay to first and the inning continued.

That brought Patrick Kivlehan to the plate, and he lifted an opposite-field two-run homer to right to win the ballgame, walk-off style.

It was the second walk-off win of the homestand for the Rainiers, who had a 1-0 ten-inning win on Thursday against Reno.

There are a few things on the line tonight: Tacoma has a chance to win the four-game series against El Paso, and the team can reach .500 for the first time since the club was 2-2 just four games into the season.

RAINIERS ROUND-UP

Yesterday: Justin Germano pitched a complete game shutout, although he didn’t have the finishing stroke – that went to Patrick Kivlehan, who hit an opposite-field two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to give the Rainiers a 2-0 win over El Paso.

Today: El Paso (38-38) at Tacoma (38-39), 6:05 (Pacific).

Opponent Affiliation: San Diego Padres.

Season Series: El Paso leads, 6-5.

Starting Pitchers: RHP Daniel McCutchen (1-5, 5.37) at RHP Sam Gaviglio (7-5, 4.39)

Hot Rainiers: Shawn O’Malley had three more hits – he has hit safely in seven straight games and is batting .369 in the month of June. Reliever David Rollins has not allowed a run in five outings; the Mariners have to make a decision on the Rule 5 Draft pick around July 4th.

Look Out For: Cody Decker has three homers in his last seven games – he’s always been a streaky hitter in the PCL, so look out.

Broadcast: The pregame show starts at 5:50 (Pacific) on South Sound Sports 850 AM. The broadcast also streams online via the TuneIn app – just click here.

PCL Scoreboard: Follow all Pacific Coast League games in real-time with links to Gameday screens right here.

Links:

• The Rainiers game story has reaction from Justin Germano, Pat Kivlehan, and Pat Listach.
• MiLB.com has a story on Patrick Kivlehan which includes video of the walk-off homer.
• The Mariners lost on a walk-off wild pitch. They have an off-day today.
• Bob Dutton’s Mariners Notebook includes a starting rotation swap.
• Without citing any sources, Geoff Baker writes that the Mariners won’t increase payroll at the trade deadline, so they should trade for Ichiro because he is cheap.
• The Rainiers are gaining in the standings. Tacoma is now just six games behind Fresno after the Grizzlies 5-2 loss in Reno yesterday.
• Dustin Garneau homered twice and Albuquerque won in Salt Lake City, 8-3.
• Las Vegas scored three runs in the bottom of the tenth to beat Sacramento, 4-3, and the 51s go for a sweep tonight.
• Matt Fields had a big game to help Omaha shut out Round Rock, 4-0.
• Nashville got shut out by Scott Baker and Oklahoma City, 5-0.
• Iowa topped New Orleans, 6-5, and the I-Cubs expect to add a rehabilitating Jorge Soler today.
• Memphis took down Colorado Springs in the 11th inning, 4-3.