Perhaps the bullpen needs a little work? On Sunday, the Rainiers were up 16-0... and gave up nine runs. They held on to win 19-9. Monday, the Rainiers were up 12-7 in the eighth, only to see rookie reliever Drew Fiorenza give up six runs on eight consecutive hits. Tacoma lost that one 13-12. On Tuesday the Rainiers led 4-3 before giving up six and losing 9-5.
The off-day Wednesday cannot come at a better time.
Monday Box, Tuesday Box
The third of a four-game series tonight with the Isotopes. After the off-the-field concerns of the past couple posts, lets just revel in an evening in the rare air Albuquerque, where the first team to 20 wins. USS Mariner is running a Rainier game thread and Rainier voice Mike Curto made an early appearance. Follow along, won't you?
The wrap-up will be late, probably posted tomorrow morning. We are heading to Tacoma General tonight for what is called a Sleep Study. The wife apparently has a problem with the fact that I don't always breathe at night. Wish me luck.
Not every day you can win giving up nine runs. Not every day you play in the rare air of Albuquerque. Our Favorite Rainier had a day, going 3-6 with two homers. Wladimir Balentien hit his ninth homer, Mike Morse had three hits. Hell, every Rainier had at least one.
Things like that happen when score 19 on 21 hits. Jason Mackintosh registers his first Triple A win, going 4 1/3 in relief of Jorge Campillo. More fun at Isotopes Park tomorrow at 5:35. Rainier ace Justin Lehr (4-0, 2.55) takes the hill against The Great Unknown. In other words, the Isotopes haven't announced.
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What we said yesterday: A combination of bandbox ballpark and hot, dry high-altitude air make for the possibility of extra offense.
Today: Between the two teams we saw 15 runs, 28 hits and 7 different pitchers used.
Baseball in Albuquerque is fun. They go again tomorrow at 12:35. Jorge Campillo (2-4, 3.35) and Ricardo Rodriguez (1-2, 6.48) try to survive an afternoon game in Isotopes Park.
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The modern-day Pacific Coast League is a massive enterprise consisting of 16 teams stretching from Tacoma and Portland in the Pacific Northwest to New Orleans of the Deep South. These are the teams our hometown nine will face throughout the long season. You must know the enemy!
The Week That Was: An uneven week for the Rainiers, going 3-4, but losers of three out of their last four. After splitting with Colorado Springs, the Rainiers have lost two in a row against Salt Lake, and they haven’t really been competitive in either game. If the Rainiers expect to contend, they have to better than a game under .500 at home. Currently Tacoma stands 14-17, good for third place in the Pacific North division.
On Deck: The series finale against Salt Lake is on Monday Night. The Rainiers will be glad to see the Bees in the rearview mirror. Tacoma and Salt Lake don’t meet again until the last game in June. Starting on Tuesday, the Rainiers hit the road and head for Texas for four games against the Round Rock Express. The Express find themselves with the same record as Tacoma, but they sit in last place of the PCL American South division.
In The Hole: After Round Rock, the Rainiers head to Albuquerque, for four games in gorgeous Isotopes Park. The Isotopes are at .500, just one game back of Oklahoma in the American South division.
