After 81 pitches in Tacoma, Erasmo Ramirez is still on schedule
Pat Listach isn’t a doctor. Nor is he a pitching coach. But ask him, and he’ll say he likes where Erasmo Ramirez is at after his most recent start.
Ramirez went four innings in Tacoma’s 6-1 loss to Colorado Springs, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits, a pair of walks, and an balk.
“He just didn’t have a put-away pitch today,” Listach said. “That was basically it. He battled. We made an error behind him that cost him a run early... He hadn’t balked in probably five years, and that cost him another run.”
Ramirez’ fastball hung around the low-90s and his sinker and offspeed had decent movement, but he hung a couple pitches in two-strike situations, and the Sky Sox did well going the other way.
“You’ve got to give them credit,” Listach said. “They got some two-strike hits. They went to right field when they needed to with two strikes, and our defense didn’t make the adjustments. You have to tip your cap to them for what they did today.”
More importantly, though, was the pitch count. Listach said the target for rehabbing pitchers to add 15 pitches per outing. In his last start with Double-A Arkansas, Ramirez threw 66 pitches.
Today? Eighty-one.
“That was perfect,” Listach said. “He said he felt good afterwards. He’s apologizing for not doing better, and I’m like ‘Dude, we’re trying to get you healthy.’
“It’s not the result so much right now. We’d all like to win, but the most important thing is his health.”
Fifteen more pitches would put Ramirez right around a typical starters’ target in his next outing. Listach said that he hadn’t discussed anything with Jerry Dipoto or Scott Servais, but that Ramirez’ next appearance could very well be in a Mariners uniform.
“I don’t know what Jerry or Scott have planned for him, but he’s healthy, and in his next time around in five days, he can give you 95 pitches,” Listach said.
Offense scuffles
It looked promising early on, but Tacoma couldn’t convert its chance to get back to .500 on the season, dropping the second of its four-game series with Colorado Springs 6-1.
Tacoma took the first lead of the game on Daniel Vogelbach’s 18th home run of the season in the bottom of the first, but that turned out to be pretty much all of the offense on the day for the Rainiers.
Vogelbach walked in his second plate appearance, and Ian Miller, Jon Andreoli, and Cameron Perkins added base hits, but they would be the only baserunners Colorado Springs starter Aaron Brooks allowed Sunday. Brooks went 6 ⅔ innings and struck out five, at one point going 12 batters without giving up a hit.
Christian Bergman, Sunday’s scheduled starter for Tacoma, made his first minor-league appearance out of the bullpen since rookie ball. He threw four innings of long relief, allowing two more runs.
Monday night will see Tacoma send out Ross Detwiler to starter against the Sky Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.