Tacoma Rainiers manager Daren Brown is far from verbose, and hardly philosophical.

So when discussing his team’s recent string of losses, Brown put it in the simplest of terms: “When we get good pitching, we don’t seem to hit. And when we hit, our pitching isn’t there. It’s not a good combination.”

It’s a big reason the Rainiers managed just one win in their last eight games coming into Friday’s homestand finale at Cheney Stadium.

But for a night, Brown got both aspects – though neither overwhelmingly great – from his team and a little help from the Las Vegas 51s in an 8-7 win.

Down 7-5 in the bottom of the ninth, Tacoma seemed headed for defeat, considering it was 1-23 in games it trailed after the sixth inning. But the Rainiers got the leadoff runner on as Prentice Redman drew a walk off Vegas reliever Brian Wolfe.

Michael Saunders followed with a stinging double down the first-base line to put runners on second and third with no outs.

Even with a base open, Wolfe chose to pitch to the dangerous Jeff Clement, who made him pay with a single to right field to score Redman and cut the lead to 7-6. Wolfe then tossed a wild- pitch that allowed Saunders to score and tie the game at 7.

Las Vegas manager Mike Basso pulled Wolfe in favor of Sean Stidfole. It didn’t matter – Stidfole walked Chris Shelton, then gave up a soft single to Mike Morse to load the bases with no outs, bringing up Bryan LaHair.

The big lefty drove a ground ball through the right side past the drawn-in infield to score Clement with the winning run.

The ending capped a game the Rainiers seemed destined to lose.

Starting pitcher Doug Fister never seemed to find a rhythm on the mound.

He gave up runs in the first two innings, including a deep solo homer to David Dellucci.

The Rainiers tried to give him some run support as Jerry Owens slapped a two-run single and scored on a throwing error on a double steal in the second inning, and Morse hit a solo homer in the fourth to give Fister a brief 4-2 lead.

But Fister couldn’t hold it as he gave up a run in the fourth and another homer to Dellucci in the fifth en route to two more runs. Fister worked six innings, allowing five runs on 11 hits. His relief help, Jesus Delgado, gave up a pair of runs in the seventh as Vegas went up 7-4.

Clement cut the lead to 7-5 in the seventh when he hit a deep triple to center field and later scored on a wild pitch.

Eric Hull (6-3) picked up the win in relief, pitching a scoreless ninth inning. Wolfe (1-3) took the loss for Las Vegas.

LaHair finished the game 3-for-5, while Clement, Saunders, Morse and Owens each had two hits.

The Rainiers wrapped up the homestand with a 2-6 record but improved to 36-38 overall.

On tap

The Rainiers head out for a four-game series in Reno against the Aces. Right-hander Andy Baldwin (5-4, 4.81 ERA) will get the start for Tacoma, while Reno will send right-hander Cesar Valdez (6-4, 3.50 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. The game will be broadcast on 850-AM.

Ryan Divish: 253-597-8483

ryan.divish@thenewstribune.com