The numbers simply didn’t add up.
The Tacoma Rainiers had been a perfect 19-0 in games this season when leading after eight innings.
On the other hand, the Tucson Padres were 0-29 when trailing after eight innings.
Those figures were shoved aside on Logan Forsythe’s RBI single.
Forsythe came up with the game-winning hit in the top of the 10th, snapping Tacoma’s four-game winning streak with an 8-7 victory over the Rainiers on Sunday at Cheney Stadium
“It’s tough. We fought back to take the lead and then gave it right back to them,” said Tacoma manager Daren Brown, who remains tied atop the club’s all-time managerial wins list with former Rainiers skipper Dan Rohn, each with 375 victories. “I felt we swung the bats well enough today to win.”
Trailing 7-6 in the eighth inning, Tacoma (22-28) scored twice to take a one-run lead on Luis Jimenez’s RBI single.
The Rainiers were one strike away from posting a season-high fifth consecutive victory, but Brad Davis singled off Scott Patterson on a 3-2 pitch to shallow center field and scoring Jedd Gyorko to tie the game.
Tacoma was unable to produce anything in the ninth as Brad Boxberger, who improved to 1-2 with the win, struck out the side in a 1-2-3 inning.
Following Forsythe’s heroics against Patterson, the Rainiers were given one last chance, but Carlos Peguero, who extended his RBI streak to seven consecutive games with a sacrifice fly in the eighth, flied out to right field to end the game in the 10th.
Also coming to an end was Luis Rodriguez’s hitting streak, snapped at 21 games.
The Tacoma second baseman went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and three walks in six plate appearances. Jimenez went 2-for-2 with three RBI. The designated hitter has reached base safety in 25 consecutive games, collecting a hit in 24 of those contests.
Tacoma starter Forrest Snow gave up six runs and nine hits in five innings with seven strikeouts before handing the ball to Cesar Jimenez, who tossed a scoreless sixth and seventh.
Patterson, who fell to 1-2 and notched his second blown save, took over from Oliver Perez with one out and runners on first and second in the ninth.
ON TAP
Tacoma ends their four-game home series with the Padres today. First pitch will be at 1:35 p.m. with Erasmo Ramirez (1-1, 4.96 ERA) getting the start. Kip Wells (1-0, 1.64) takes the mound for Tucson. The Rainiers travel to Reno on Tuesday for a four-game series before heading back to Tacoma to begin an eight-game homestand June 2.
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