The Tacoma Rainiers aren’t the only Pacific Coast League team eyeing the division title.
Adam Pavkovich and Matt Brown each hit home runs to power Salt Lake to its second consecutive win over Tacoma, 10-1, on Tuesday night at Cheney Stadium.
Tacoma (70-68) droppped two games behind Colorado Springs, a 3-2 winner over Portland, in the PCL Pacific North division. The Rainiers have six games – all at home – remaining in the regular season, two against Salt Lake before closing out the season with four against the Sky Sox.
Salt Lake (68-69) sits third in the division, 31/2 games out of the lead.
Tacoma, which won its ninth straight road game on Sunday to briefly pull even with Colorado Springs in the standings, managed just two hits in the Tuesday loss, while equaling its season high with four errors.
Jason Vargas was scheduled to start for the Rainiers, but was recalled to the Seattle Mariners earlier in the day.
Andres Esquibel, who was called up from Single-A Everett, got the start, giving up five earned runs on five hits, including two home runs, in 4 innings.
Oswaldo Navarro broke up a no-hitter by Salt Lake starter Brad Salmon in the bottom of the fifth with a double, which sent Mike Wilson to third and drove in Bryan LaHair to cut the deficit to 5-1.
Jerry Owens followed with a walk to load the bases, but the Rainiers were unable to take advantage. Salmon struck out Matt Tuiasosopo and Chris Shelton to end the threat.
A LaHair double in the seventh was Tacoma’s only other hit.
Pavkovich hit a solo shot in the second to get the Bees on the scoreboard.
Salt Lake added three runs in the third, which was highlighted by Brown’s two-run homer, one in the fifth and five in the ninth to notch its sixth consecutive victory.
Salmon (7-4) surrendered two hits and one run while striking out nine in six innings.
Roster shuffled
The Seattle Mariners recalled first baseman Mike Carp and left-hander pitcher Jason Vargas from Tacoma on Tuesday. The 23-year-old Carp appeared in 110 games with the Rainiers, hitting .271 with 15 home runs and 64 RBI. Vargas, who was slated to start Tuesday’s game for Tacoma before the roster change, was 4-3 with a 3.14 ERA. … Tacoma called up shortstop Anthony Phillips and pitcher Andres Esquibel. Phillips hit .247 with seven home runs and 28 RBI with Single-A Everett of the Northwest League. This is Esquibel’s second time up with Tacoma. He made an appearance with the club on June 30, throwing a scoreless inning against Reno. Esquibel was 2-4 with a 5.00 ERA with Everett.
On tap
Tacoma continues its series with Salt Lake with a game at 7 p.m. today at Cheney Stadium Gaby Hernandez (8-9, 5.62 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Rainiers. The Bees will counter with Mike MacDonald (8-11, 5.76).
