COLORADO SPRINGS, colo. – New Tacoma Rainiers starting pitcher Steve Garrison probably knows that pitching seven innings and allowing three runs in Colorado Springs should be good enough for a win.
Unfortunately for Garrison, it wasn’t on Saturday. He lost to left-hander Nick Schmidt and the Sky Sox, 3-1.
It was the third loss in a row for Tacoma, which has lost six of the past seven games. The Rainiers (41-58) are a season-worst 17 games under .500.
Garrison (0-3) is still looking for his first Tacoma win, despite delivering a quality start twice in his first four outings.
“Garrison did a nice job,” said Tacoma manager Daren Brown. “He kept us in the ballgame and gave us some much-needed innings. We just weren’t able to do very much offensively.”
The Sky Sox scored in the first inning when Matt McBride finished a nine-pitch at-bat by roping a two-out RBI double off the wall in left field. It was the 33rd double of the year for McBride, which ranks second in the Pacific Coast League.
McBride was 3-for-4 in the game, extending his hitting streak to 14 games. His infield single started a two-run rally in the fourth inning, when Brendan Harris drove him in with a double. Brandon Wood singled in Harris for the Sky Sox’s final run.
Schmidt (2-2) entered the game with a 9.00 ERA in 16 innings since being promoted from Double-A Tulsa.
On Saturday, he allowed one hit in six scoreless innings – a Darren Ford single to left field in the third inning.
Only once did the Rainiers advance a runner to second base against Schmidt.
“We helped him out a little bit, swinging at some pitches out of the strike zone,” Brown said. “It was our first time seeing him, and he did a nice job against us today.”
Edgmer Escalona threw two scoreless innings in relief of Schmidt, and the Sky Sox carried a one-hit shutout into the ninth inning.
Tacoma scored in the ninth against closer Coty Woods. Nick Franklin reached on an infield single and eventually scored on a groundout by Mike Wilson.
PRYOR SENT DOWN
The Mariners optioned Stephen Pryor to Tacoma prior to the game. Pryor, who was on a rehabilitation assignment with the Rainiers already, is likely to be officially added to the Triple-A roster today – requiring a roster move.
ON TAP
The teams play a doubleheader today that makes up for the June 26 postponement because of the Waldo Canyon Fire. First game, starting at 3:05 p.m. (PDT), pits Tacoma’s Brian Sweeney (4-2, 5.02 ERA) against Guillermo Moscoso (5-5, 5.81). David Pauley (2-0, 1.59) takes the mound for Tacoma in game two against Cory Riordan (0-0, 6.75).
Mike Curto is the radio broadcaster for the Rainiers.
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