Rainiers walk way to victory
MEG WOCHNICK
Whatever it takes to win, the Tacoma Rainiers will take it.
The Rainiers walked nine times, tying a season high, and scored a run on a wild pitch as Tacoma snapped a four-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over Sacramento on Saturday night in front of 4,796 fans at Cheney Stadium.
Tacoma (24-32) won despite getting out-hit by Sacramento, 7-6.
Casper Wells’ double to left-center gave the Rainiers their sixth hit and their sixth run to take a 6-1 advantage in the sixth inning.
Tacoma loaded the bases in three innings – the second, fourth and fifth – but stranded six baserunners.
Luis Rodriguez’s two-rundouble was part of the Rainiers’ three-run fifth that started with Vinnie Catricala scoring on a wild pitch by Fautino De Los Santos with the bases loaded.
The teams combined for 15 walks , which was two more than combined hits (13). Sacramento (35-22) was held to one run on six hits until Stephen Parker’s two-run home run to right cut Tacoma’s lead to 6-3 in the eighth.
Tacoma starter Erasmo Ramirez (3-1) struck out nine before leaving after six innings. He lowered his ERA to 3.34.
Franklin Gutierrez made his Triple-A debut for his injury rehabilitation assignment from the Mariners after injuries to his pectoral muscle and heel.
The center fielder went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and two walks.
In addition to Gutierrez on rehab, Manny Ramirez, a 12-time All-Star with Cleveland and Boston, made his 10th minor-league appearance with the River Cats as he attempts a major-league comeback with Oakland.
In his only at-bat, Ramirez singled in the first inning. In 10 games with Sacramento, Ramirez is batting .243 with no home runs or extra-base hits and four RBI.
In April 2011, Ramirez, then playing for the Tampa Bay Rays, failed a second drug test, and rather than serve a 100-game suspension, he retired.
His suspension, which ended Wednesday, was reduced to 50 games since he sat out nearly all season.
SHORT HOPS
Rainiers catcher Guillermo Quiroz went 0-for-1 with three walks, ending his hitting streak at seven games. … Luis Jimenez ended his PCL-leading 29-game on-base streak (0-for-5 with no walks).
ON TAP
The Rainiers and River Cats continue their four-game series at 1:35 p.m. today. Tacoma will start right-hander A.J. Griffin (0-2, 4.43 ERA) against Sacramento right-hander Andrew Carraway (2-1, 3.20). The game will be broadcast on 850-AM.
Meg Wochnick: 360-754-5473 mwochnick@theolympian.com @megwochnick
