LAS VEGAS – A shaky first inning in Brandon Morrow’s first start of the season for Tacoma resulted in the Rainiers’ second consecutive loss as the Las Vegas 51s posted a 5-4 victory Sunday night at Cashman Field.

From the outset, the right-handed pitcher, the No. 5 pick in 2006, seemed uncomfortable on the mound.

Morrow (0-1) struggled with the 51s lineup in the first inning, allowing four runs on three hits, walking two and hitting another batter.

Morrow, who began the season with the Mariners and went 0-4 in six starts for Seattle, has a fastball that can reach 99 mph.

As a reliever for Seattle last season, he recorded a 1.47 ERA, the second lowest in club history behind J.J. Putz’s 1.38 ERA in 2007.

His trouble against the 51s was controlling his fastball as his first seven pitches were balls.

Matt Tuiasosopo had given Tacoma (45-49) an early lead, hitting a solo home run in the top of the first inning, but Las Vegas quickly had a 4-1 lead.

After barely surviving the first inning, Morrow appeared more comfortable, mixing his pitches and keeping the 51s (45-50) scoreless for three innings.

The Rainiers responded in the top of the fourth when Mike Carp scored on an RBI double by Bryan LaHair. Carp and Jamie Burke started the inning with consecutive singles to right field.

Michael Saunders brought in Burke with a ground-ball single while Oswaldo Navarro capped a three-run inning with a sacrifice fly that brought in LaHair and tied the game, 4-4.

The 51s broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth when Kevin Howard hit a two-out RBI double. Morrow was replaced by reliever Andy Baldwin after allowing Las Vegas’ fifth run.

It was the final run of the game as Baldwin retired the next batter to end the fifth and threw three more scoreless innings, allowing four hits.

Tacoma had opportunities to erase the lead in the sixth and seventh innings when they had runners on first and second with two outs. However, Tuiasosopo and Saunders struck out and grounded out, respectively, to end the innings.