RENO – Tacoma Rainiers manager Daren Brown didn’t know what to say.
For the second consecutive day his team walked off the field after losing in the final inning to the Reno Aces.
Evan Frey tripled home Mark Hallberg with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Reno a 5-4 victory Tuesday night.
The Aces completed a four-game sweep, with three one-run victories and the other by a two-run margin. The Aces won in the bottom of the 12th inning Monday.
“It’s tough – back to back days getting walked off,” said Brown. “There ain’t a whole lot to say. Guys are battling, tying the game in the ninth, we can’t get the hit to put us ahead and get us a lead.”
Tacoma tied the game in the top of the ninth for the second consecutive game.
Trailing 4-3, Matt Tuiasosopo opened the ninth by launching a hanging breaking ball from Reno reliever Kam Mickolio – a former Mariners minor leaguer – off the left-field fence for a double. Carlos Triunfel chopped a ball off home plate for an infield single, leaving runners at first and third with nobody out.
Reno manager Brett Butler played his infield at double play depth, and Ralph Henriquez obliged: Tacoma’s catcher grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, with Tuiasosopo scoring the tying run.
Tacoma reliever Steve Delabar had already pitched two scoreless innings, and he quickly recorded the first out in the ninth.
But Hallberg singled, bringing up the left-handed Frey. Brown brought in left-hander Cesar Jimenez to face Frey, and Frey lined a fastball off the right-field fence for the game-winning triple.
The magic number for Reno (72-58) to clinch the division title is five. Tacoma (63-68) has lost eight consecutive games.
SHORT HOPS
The Mariners released Tacoma infielder Matt Mangini, despite his .336 batting average. Mangini had not played since July 30 while away from the team due to personal reasons. … Tacoma’s six runs Monday gave the Rainiers 813 runs for the season – a franchise record. The previous mark was 811 in 2008.
ON TAP
The Rainiers open a five-game series in Colorado Springs at 5:05 p.m. (PDT). Tacoma will start right-hander Jarrett Grube (3-3, 5.63 ERA) against right-hander Alan Johnson (4-9, 7.18).
Mike Curto is the radio broadcaster for the Tacoma Rainiers.
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