The hits keep coming for Tacoma.
And coming and coming and coming.
A week after slogging through a seven-game losing streak, the Rainiers have reeled off a season-high four straight wins after thumping Round Rock, 13-6, Monday night at Cheney Stadium.
Slugger Luis Jimenez ran his team-best hitting streak to 13 games, going 2-for-3, with two runs, two RBI and two walks. Scott Savastano blasted three doubles, driving in three runs, and five other Rainiers had a multi-hit game as Tacoma totaled 17 hits.
Tacoma (15-23) piled on Round Rock (17-22) early.
Guillermo Quiroz’s two-out single to right field in the first drove in two runs and Savastano drove in another run on a double, putting the Rainiers ahead 3-1 in the first.
Tacoma added four runs on four hits, including a double from Carlos Triunfel, in the second. Jimenez delivered the inning’s big hit, a two-out, two-RBI single that gave the Rainiers a 7-1 lead.
Held scoreless in the third, Tacoma tacked on two runs in the fourth and Luis Rodriguez’s RBI double and Carlos Peguero’s two-run homer drove in three runs in the fifth.
By then, Round Rock was on its third pitcher and Tacoma held a 12-2 lead.
Express starting pitcher Martin Perez lasted only two innings. Perez (3-3), rated by Baseball America as the second-best prospect in the Texas organization, was pounded for seven runs off eight hits and two walks.
Aaron Heilman, twice a Seattle Mariners pitcher, gave up four runs in two innings.
Tacoma starter Jeff Marquez (3-3) turned in one of his best performances of the season. The 28-year-old right-hander threw six innings, scattering two earned runs off three hits and two walks, while striking out four.
Reliever Cesar Jimenez gave up two runs off four hits in two innings and Scott Patterson allowed a solo home run to Yangervis Solarte in the ninth.
After suffering through April with a team batting average (.235) that tied for the worst in the Pacific Coast League, Tacoma leads the league in May with a robust .313 average.
ON TAP
Right-hander Forrest Snow (0-3, 7.57 ERA) will start for Tacoma today, going against Round Rock right-hander Greg Reynolds (2-3, 4.12), in the final contest of this eight-game homestand. First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 a.m. The game will be broadcast on 850-AM radio.
doug.pacey@thenewstribune.com 253-597-8271 @DougPaceyTNT
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