Rainiers Hold on Against Albuquerque, 4-3
August 18, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma, WA - The Tacoma Rainiers grabbed a quick lead and rode it to a 4-3 win over Albuquerque at Cheney Stadium on Wednesday.
The win over the Isotopes sends the Rainiers back to the top of the Pacific Coast League Pacific Northern Division with a half-game lead over Salt Lake after the Bees lost to Memphis 13-3 earlier in the evening.
The Rainiers made it onto the scoreboard early in the outing and notched a pair of runs on two hits in the bottom of the first inning. First baseman Justin Smoak drove in Dustin Ackley from second for the first run of the evening. Catcher Eliezer Alfonzo scored the second with a sacrifice fly that plated Matt Mangini two batters later.
The lead increased to 3-0 in the next frame following Greg Halman's solo home run, his 28th of the season, to lead off the bottom of the second. Outfielder Mike Carp belted a one-run homer of his own in the sixth to push the score to 4-2.
Albuquerque attempted a comeback in the eighth after Trent Oeltjen scored from third on a groundout by outfielder Xavier Paul, but the come-from-behind effort stalled at just one run for the Isotopes.
Tacoma starter Ryan Rowland-Smith earned his second win in his third MLB rehab assignment with the Rainiers. The left-hander allowed two runs on five hits over seven innings, with one walk and eight punchouts.
Right-hander John Ely was dealt the third loss of his 2010 campaign with the Isotopes, allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts over seven innings of work.
Rainiers reliever Dan Cortes picked up his first career Triple-A save after tossing one scoreless inning with one strikeout in the ninth.
Tacoma takes the field for the third game of their four-game series with Albuquerque beginning at 7pm on Thursday. The Rainiers are scheduled to start right-hander Blake Beavan (1-1, 6.00) in the outing, with the Isotopes scheduled to send right-hander Seth Etherton (5-4, 3.94) to the mound.
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