Results tagged ‘ Las Vegas 51s ’
PREVIEW: Rainiers Go for Straight Flush
After scoring 24 runs in the past three
days, the hot-hitting Tacoma Rainiers look to break out the brooms against the
Las Vegas 51s today behind 6-foot-8 righty Doug Fister for their first
four-game series sweep of the season.
Last time out, Fister delivered a
marvelous performance on three days rest, scattering six hits over six innings
and allowing just one run in an 11-1 win over the Sacramento River Cats on July
22. In his past three outings, Fister is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings of
work.
Today marks the
series finale against Las Vegas, and the final time that the Rainiers and the
51s will see each other this season, with Tacoma owning an 8-7 edge in the
season series.
Following today’s
tilt, the Rainiers will go on the road to pay a brief four-game visit to the
Reno Aces before returning home on August 1 for a four-game homestand against
the Fresno Grizzlies and former Tacoma skipper Dan Rohn.
Woah Nelly! Rainiers Win Third Straight
This afternoon at Cheney Stadium, for the third game
in a row, big Brad Nelson took a scenic tour around the bases, and for the
third game in a row the Tacoma Rainiers bested the visiting Las Vegas 51s, this
time by the tally of 14-9. But it may have come at a heavy price.
The Rainiers (49-52) exploded for six
runs in the fourth inning, sparked by a two-run home run from Nelson–his third
longball in the past three games and ninth of the season–and staked
right-handed starter Steven Shell to a very comfortable 7-1 lead.
Through six innings, the Longview, Tex.
native allowed just three runs and was working well despite the 90-degree heat.
But with one out in the top of the seventh, Las Vegas center fielder Buck Coats
lined a 1-2 pitch back up the middle, striking Shell flush in the right cheek.
While Shell made a valiant effort to make
his way over to field the ball, his body did not respond, and after Coats
reached base, the Rainiers training staff and paramedics rushed out onto the field
as the crowd held its breath for nine long minutes.
After Shell was carted off the field–with
a courageous wave drawing thunderous applause–reliever Eric Hull had the
unenviable task of trying to concentrate on getting the next two outs.
The 51s (47-55) capitalized, scoring two
runs in the inning thanks to Randy Ruiz’s league-leading 40th double of the
season, making the score 7-5.
Unwilling to waste the effort of a fallen
teammate, Tacoma charged back in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Nelson
delivered his fifth double of the season on a fly ball to center, and was
lifted in favor of speedy pinch runner Prentice Redman.
Left fielder Bryan LaHair then drew a
walk from lefty Las Vegas reliever Bill Murphy, setting the stage for catcher
Adam Moore, who–like Shell–hails from Longview, Tex. Almost as if to avenge his
batterymate and fellow Texan, Moore crushed the second pitch he saw from Murphy
off the top of the left center field wall for a three-run home run, putting the
Rainiers up 10-5 with his sixth circuit shot of the season.
But alas, the 51s would not go away. They
plated four more runs in the top of the eighth against Hull, pulling to within one
run. Once again, though, Tacoma responded.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the
bottom of the eighth, Redman connected on a soft liner to left center, knocking
in two runs and putting men on first and third. LaHair then came up with his
third hit of the day, lining the 1-1 offering from reliever Brian Wolfe up the
middle for an RBI single. Up next was Moore, who delivered again, singling on a
sharp liner to left field for an RBI single of his own.
Moore had his biggest run-producing
game of the year, going 2-for-4 with a game-high five RBI as part of a 16-hit
Tacoma attack that saw every hitter record at least one base knock.
Other top offensive performers were
LaHair–who went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored–and designated hitter
Jeff Clement, who chipped in with a 2-for-5, two-RBI day. Clement now owns a
.301 batting average in 22 July games this season, with four home runs and 22
RBI. Nelson went 3-for-3 on the day and drew a walk, and is now hitting a
scorching .348 in the month of July, reaching base safely in his past 11 games.
Seddon Deals Vegas Second Straight Loss
In his first game back since going on
the disabled list with a sprained ankle, Tacoma Rainiers starting pitcher Chris
Seddon didn’t take much time to stop and smell the roses. The lefty out of
Northridge, Calif. sported a nifty new set of stirrups in a decidedly
old-fashioned pitching-and-defense affair, earning his sixth win of the season
as the Tacoma Nine downed the Las Vegas 51s 2-1 in a brisk two hours and nine
minutes tonight for their second straight win.
Seddon threw just 59 pitches–37 for
strikes–as he retired the 51s (47-54) in order in four of his five innings
pitched, surrendering just one hit and one walk in holding Las Vegas to just
one run on a third-inning RBI single by center fielder Aaron Mathews.
In a game in which offense was at a
premium–each team recorded just four hits–Tacoma (48-52) was able to get to 51s
starter Scott Richmond early, striking for their only runs in the first and
second innings.
Fleet-footed leadoff man Jerry Owens got
the proceedings off to a familiar start in the bottom of the first, beating out
a ground ball to shortstop Angel Sanchez for an infield single and then taking
second on Sanchez’s hurried throw to first.
Following a walk to third baseman Matt
Tuiasosopo, Richmond uncorked a wild pitch on a 1-2 count to designated hitter
Jeff Clement, allowing both runners to move into scoring position for the heart
of the Rainiers lineup.
But Richmond was able to collect himself
and struck out Clement, only to face left fielder Mike Carp, who lifted
Richmond’s fourth offering into center field, deep enough to allow the speedy
Owens to dash home on a sacrifice fly.
Big first baseman Brad Nelson–who
struck for Tacoma’s first pinch-hit home run Friday night–went yard for his
second game in a row, leading off the second with a titanic blast to right
field for his eighth longball of the season. Nelson went 1-for-3 on the evening
to lift his July batting average to .302. The 6-foot-2, 265-pounder out of
Algona, Iowa has hit four of his eight dingers in his 15 games this month,
collecting eight RBI and seven walks.
The Rainiers infield jealously guarded
the 2-1 lead, with Oswaldo Navarro making two fine late-inning plays at
shortstop to back up Rainiers reliever Jesus Delgado.
Delgado for his part picked up right
where Seddon left off, throwing 42 pitches in his three shutout innings of
work, allowing just two singles and one walk while striking out two, finally
giving way to closer Randy Messenger who worked a quick ninth for his 20th
save.
PREVIEW: Southpaws Square Off in Game 2
On Saturday a pair of lefties will go
toe-to-toe on the hill for the Tacoma Rainiers and Las Vegas 51s. Tacoma’s
Jason Vargas has yet to face the 51s in his five starts this season for the
Rainiers, but Tacoma hitters are more than familiar with Las Vegas starter
Davis Romero.
The last time Romero faced the
Rainiers, he surrendered four runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings of work on June
26 at Cheney Stadium, a game which Tacoma went on to win 8-7.
Saturday is our
Little Caesars Family Meal Deal, where along with four Rainiers tickets, you
get four limited edition Rainiers baseball caps, four slices of pizza at Cheney
Stadium, two youth passes to Point Defiance Zoo or Northwest Trek Wildlife
Park, two large Hot-N-Ready pizzas and two orders of Crazy Bread, all for just
$44.
Get your tickets
now at advanced ticket sales for our future Family Meal Deal dates on Aug. 15
against the Iowa Cubs and Sept. 5 against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
PREVIEW: Morrow Returns to Cheney Hill
Righty Brandon Morrow will make his
first start at Cheney Stadium since August 31, 2008, and he will be facing some
familiar faces at the plate.
Morrow’s first
minor league start of 2009 came against these same Las Vegas 51s, who roughed
him up for four first-inning runs before the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder regained his
composure to throw 3.2 scoreless innings.
His opponent,
David Purcey, has faced the Rainiers three times. Remarkably, he’s been able to
post a 2-0 record despite a 7.98 ERA against the Tacoma Nine.
Tonight, enjoy our traditional Friday
Night Fireworks, brought to you by Charles River Clinical.
Remember to get your tickets for
tomorrow’s Little Caesars Family Meal Deal game. The Family Meal Deal includes
four Rainiers tickets, four limited edition Rainiers baseball caps, four slices
of pizza at Cheney Stadium, two youth passes to Point Defiance Zoo or Northwest
Trek Wildlife Park, two large Hot-N-Ready
pizzas and two orders of Crazy Bread, all for just $44.
All-Star Game Wrap-Up
Despite a dramatic ninth-inning comeback, the Pacific Coast League fell tonight to the All-Stars from the International League, 6-5 at PGE Park in Portland, Ore.
League Leaders at the Break
As the Pacific Coast League and the International League All-Stars get set to duke it out in Wednesday’s Triple-A All-Star Game in Portland, Ore., several Tacoma Rainiers sit among the best in the PCL in a multitude of offensive categories.
LaHair Provides His Own Friday Night Fireworks in Comeback Win
Bryan LaHair stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the
ninth inning last night with the bases loaded, one double away from tying the
franchise record for two-baggers. The Cheney Stadium crowd stood
as one and chanted his name. Was it history they got? No, it was even better.
With the infield drawn in, LaHair drilled the third pitch he
saw from Las Vegas 51s closer Sean Stidfole through the right side for a
single, completing an electrifying comeback as the Tacoma Rainiers defeated the
Las Vegas 8-7 to close out the homestand.
The Rainiers got out to an early 4-2 lead over the 51s only
to see the game slip away, as Las Vegas scored five runs over four innings to
take a commanding 7-4 lead heading into the final frame.
Right fielder Prentice Redman led off the ninth with a walk,
a seemingly innocent beginning, but one that dealt a big blow to 51s reliever
Brian Wolfe’s composure. Wolfe proceeded to give up an RBI double to left
fielder Michael Saunders, and then a game-tying RBI single to designated hitter
Jeff Clement.
Up stepped one of the hottest hitters in the PCL: third
baseman Chris Shelton, hitting .314 in the month of June. Wolfe, clearly
rattled, was unable to put Shelton away. As the crowd got louder, Wolfe got
wilder, throwing four straight balls–one of which skipped past catcher Michael
Barrett, allowing Saunders to score and putting Clement at second.
Wolfe was then pulled due to injury, putting
newly-christened Las Vegas closer Stidfole right in the teeth of a two-on,
no-out jam with the powerful Mike Morse striding to the plate.
The 6-foot-5 Rainiers shortstop tried to catch the 51s off
guard by squaring around to bunt, but abandoned that strategy after Stidfole
got ahead 1-2. Morse then ripped a
single through the left side to load the bases.
A stadium full of youngsters clearly up past their bedtime
on Boy Scout Night became deafening as LaHair–Tacoma’s home-run leader–came to
bat.
LaHair dug in against Stidfole with history–and more
importantly, the game–on the line.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder took Stidfole’s first pitch off
the plate away. Ball one. He then took a mighty cut at Stidfole’s second
offering, but came up empty, evening the count at 1-1. The next offering missed
high and away as chants of “Bry-AN! Bry-AN!” echoed throughout the packed Cheney
grandstand. Stidfole missed high and away. 2-1. A hitter’s count.
Second baseman Joe Inglett and shortstop Angel Sanchez crept
up onto the grass in hopes of cutting the slow-running Clement off at the
plate. Though LaHair needed a double to tie the franchise mark, he refused to
take personal accolades over the team, and shortened his swing, looking not for
history, but for victory. And he got it. He bounced a grounder right between
Inglett and first baseman Randy Ruiz, catapulting the Rainiers bench onto the
field for a jubilant celebration.
Rainiers Relinquish Early Lead
When a team chases the starter after
less than three innings, forcing that starter to throw 71 pitches along the
way, it’s reasonable to assume that that team is going to have a relatively
productive evening.
But what started out as an offensive
outburst quickly turned sour for the Tacoma Rainiers last night at Cheney
Stadium, as they turned an early three-run lead into an 11-4 loss, their second
defeat in as many nights at the hands of the Las Vegas 51s (32-42).
Tacoma (35-38) got on the board first in
the bottom of the second inning, when Las Vegas starter David Purcey loaded the
bases with no outs, allowing a Brad Nelson single sandwiched between walks to
Chris Shelton and Adam Moore.
Left fielder Bryan LaHair struck first,
rapping an RBI single through the right side. Next, second baseman Callix
Crabbe delivered a sacrifice fly to plate Nelson and advance the runners to
second and third.
Center fielder Michael Saunders then
grounded the second pitch he saw from Purcey softly to the hole at short.
Though 51s shortstop Jonathan Diaz was able to get to the ball, he whiffed on
the bare hand attempt as the speedy Saunders hit the bag at first for an RBI
infield single.
That 3-0 lead–and the sense of certainty
it brought–held for exactly one inning, as Las Vegas exploded for nine runs in
the fourth and fifth frames, rattling off nine hits–seven of those for extra
bases–and chasing Rainiers righty Gaby Hernandez.
Hernandez allowed six hits and eight runs
in his four innings of work, striking out four and walking two. Reliever Brodie
Downs didn’t fare much better, surrendering five base knocks and two runs in
his three innings of relief. The 51s seemed to square up nearly every ball they
made contact with, and ended the night with 13 hits to show for it, among them
five doubles and one home run.
Tacoma’s post-second inning offensive
highlight came in the bottom of the sixth, when designated hitter Jeff Clement
hit his second home run in the past three games, after going homerless since
May 30.
PREVIEW: Rainiers Look to Get Mojo Back
After hitting .324
against the Las Vegas 51s in the first five games of their season series, the
Tacoma Rainiers had a rare misfire last night, managing only four hits.
The offense will look
to get back on track in support of Gaby Hernandez, who tallied a season-high
eight strikeouts in his last performance at Cheney Stadium on June 19 against
the Reno Aces.
The last time 51s
starter David Purcey faced the Rainiers, he gave up six earned runs on 11 hits
in 6.1 innings, but still earned the win on June 8.
Tomorrow night is Tasty
Thursday at Cheney Stadium, where you can get great deals on $1 hot dogs, soda,
ice cream and coffee.
Enjoy $2 Miller Lite
and Miller Genuine Draft in the terrace level beer garden, the place for
singles to mingle every Thursday night at Cheney Stadium alongside the Hooters
girls.
The Tasty Thursday
Beer Garden opens at 5:30 p.m. each Thursday night with music and beer specials
sponsored by Miller Lite and Hooters.
If you can’t make it out to the park, you can listen to the action on South Sound Sports 850 AM, or online by clicking HERE, with the voice of the Rainiers, Mike Curto.
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