Normally, it would seem playing at home would be the ultimate advantage for a baseball team, particularly in the postseason.
But the familiar grounds at Cheney Stadium hasn’t been great to the Tacoma Rainiers in this regular season – or past postseasons.
Coming into Thursday’s Pacific Coast League playoff game against the Sacramento River Cats, the Rainiers had lost four straight home playoff games, including Wednesday’s opening game of the five-game playoff series.
And for some reason this season, the Rainiers have been slightly better on the road than at home, posting a 38-34 road record and a 36-36 home mark.
But on Thursday, there was some sense of normalcy as the Rainiers figured out a way to succeed at home with a 5-2 win over the River Cats to even the series at a game apiece.
The series moves to Sacramento’s Raley Field for the next three games, starting tonight at 7:05.
After looking a little tight early and falling behind in the Game 1 loss, the Rainiers looked slightly more relaxed in the second game of the series.
The River Cats grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Tommy Everidge’s sacrifice fly. But the Rainiers answered immediately with a sacrifice fly from Chris Shelton in the bottom of the first to tie the game.
In the bottom of the second, the Rainiers took a 3-1 lead as Mike Wilson crushed a two-run homer deep to left field.
“That always makes a big difference,” Rainiers manager Daren Brown said of the early lead.
It was a stark contrast to the opening game, when the Rainiers fell behind 5-0 and looked apprehensive in the field and at the plate.
“You look at the guys we have here, I don’t think too many have been in a playoff situation,” Brown said.
Wilson’s homer – his sixth this year – amounted to one deep exhale for a team needing to find a comfort level.
“When you can do that, you can just let the pitchers relax a little bit,” Wilson said.
Rainiers starter Garrett Olson didn’t always give himself the opportunity to relax because of walks and hit batters. He walked three and hit two and allowed runners to reach base in all six innings he pitched. But thanks to some well-timed pitches and a couple of solid defensive plays, the River Cats only managed one run – a majestic solo homer by Chris Carter that cut through the cold night wind and banged off the scoreboard in right-center field to cut the lead to 3-2 in the third inning.
A one-run lead against a solid hitting team like Sacramento isn’t exactly insurmountable. But Olson managed to keep it there until he was lifted before the seventh.
“He was able to make pitches when he needed to, and you got to be able to do that to have success,” Brown said.
Olson allowed just the one run on five hits, striking out six.
The Rainiers gave him some much-needed insurance in the sixth as Jerry Owens and Matt Tuiasosopo added RBI singles to push the lead to 5-1.
Brown then turned it over to the bullpen. Jared Wells allowed a run on a solo homer to Eric Munson, but that was all the River Cats would muster.
The win gave the Rainiers their first playoff home win since Sept. 6, 2001, when they beat the River Cats, 5-4, with Brett Tomko getting the win and Scott Podsednik getting three hits, including a homer.
After that win, Tacoma lost four straight playoff games.
On tap
Right-hander Andy Baldwin (6-11, 4.57 ERA) will make the start for the Rainiers in place of Brandon Morrow, who was recalled by Seattle. Sacramento will go with right-hander Jerome Williams (5-6, 5.58 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. at Raley Field in Sacramento. The game will be broadcast on 850-AM.
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