RENO – Former Rainiers outfielder Ryan Langerhans may have put the nail in the coffin as far as Tacoma’s playoff aspirations are concerned.
Traded to Reno on July 29, Langerhans launched the game-winning double in the bottom of the 12th inning on Monday night, giving Reno a 7-6 walk-off win over the Rainiers.
It marked the seventh consecutive loss for Tacoma, which fell to 81/2 games behind the first-place Aces.
Tacoma fell behind 5-1 after two innings, as starting pitcher Luke French looked a bit rusty in his first appearance in 10 days.
Tacoma relievers following French pitched seven no-hit, shutout innings of relief until the 12th.
The Rainiers chipped away at the Reno lead.
Mike Wilson hit a long solo home run in the fourth, and Sean Kazmar added a two-out RBI single.
Greg Halman connected for a bases-loaded single in the sixth, making it 6-4, but the Rainiers were unable to score any more runs in a bases-loaded, one-out situation.
Michael Saunders scored from third on a two-out wild pitch in the seventh inning, making it 6-5, and the Rainiers rallied to tie the game in the ninth.
Saunders and Chris Gimenez singled to open the ninth, and Saunders scored the tying run on Matt Tuiasosopo’s grounder to shortstop.
Tacoma did not threaten to score in extra innings, and Reno won it with back-to-back doubles in the 12th against new reliever Chaz Roe (0-7).
Head-to-head play has essentially decided the division. The Aces have won 10 of the last 12 games against Tacoma, and has gone 11-4 against the Rainiers on the year.
ON TAP
The series in Reno ends with a 7:05 game tonight. Tacoma will start Chris Seddon (8-6, 6.43 ERA) against Reno’s Wes Roemer (0-0, 1.69).
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