Lack of quality pitching, defense and offense typically isn’t a recipe for continuing a win streak.
And it wasn’t Thursday night for the Tacoma Rainiers in a 7-1 loss to the Oklahoma City RedHawks at Cheney Stadium.
“We didn’t pitch well, we didn’t play good defense, and we didn’t swing the bats well,” Rainiers manager Daren Brown said. “Pretty simple.”
Tacoma entered the game looking to tack on to its three consecutive wins. Instead, the Rainiers saw their starting pitcher pulled in the fourth inning, hitters Nick Franklin, Carlos Peguero and Vinnie Catricala combine for seven strikeouts and their defense commit three errors.
Tacoma sent Andrew Carraway to the mound for his first start since coming off the disabled list. He was sharper than in his previous start, when he gave up eight runs in four innings July 20, but he allowed a two-run home run to Mike Hessman in the third and reached 72 pitches before being pulled for David Pauley.
Tacoma cut into Oklahoma City’s lead with Catricala’s two-out single in the fourth, which sent Justin Smoak cruising home from second. Alex Liddi reached third but was left there when Carlos Triunfel grounded into a fielder’s choice.
Guillermo Quiroz then provided some life by leading off the bottom of the fifth with a rare triple – just the eighth of his 13-year career.
He got some help from RedHawks right-fielder Fernando Martinez, who dove in an attempt to make a play on the soft-liner. He missed, and the ball rolled to the wall.
That brought up the top of the Rainiers’ order with no outs and Quiroz on third.
Darren Ford popped up to first, Franklin struck out for the third time and Smoak flew out to center, leaving Quiroz stranded.
Oklahoma City got a walk and a single with two outs in the seventh, and Chris Wallace brought both baserunners home on a double down the right-field line.
The RedHawks added another run in the eighth, when Jimmy Paredes led off with a double and reached third on Peguero’s throwing error. He scored on a Travis Buck single.
Jose Cisnero struck out seven in seven innings for Oklahoma City, giving up one run in his second Triple-A start.
SHORT HOPS
Brown said it’s possible Charlie Furbush will make his first rehab appearance today since going on the DL two weeks ago with triceps pain. He said Franklin Gutierrez’s first rehab appearance is less likely. … It was Danny Hultzen’s scheduled day to pitch, but the team decided to give him a rest. Brown said no date has been set for his next start.
ON TAP
Hector Noesi (0-3, 10.31 ERA) will pitch for Tacoma tonight against Oklahoma City’s Brian Bass (1-5, 6.75) at 7:05. The game will be broadcast on 850-AM.
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