PCL1 New Orleans Baby Cakes

Tacoma Walks All over Zephyrs in 14-1 Rout

Published on May 11, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
New Orleans Baby Cakes News Release


The Tacoma Rainiers piled up 14 runs on 14 hits with the help of 12 walks issued by Zephyrs pitching, and cruised to a 14-1 win over New Orleans in the opener of a four-game series on Saturday night at Zephyr Field.

Stefan Romero belted a sixth-inning grand slam to break the game open, and finished with five RBI. Roch Poythress reached base five times, with a home run, two singles and three walks, and Ryan Franklin also drew three free passes as the Rainiers pulled away late, adding four runs in the eighth inning and two more in the ninth.

After New Orleans stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Tacoma broke on top in the third by scoring three times against Zephyrs starter Doug Mathis, who entered the game with a 2.22 ERA, seventh-best in the Pacific Coast League.

Poythress drew a leadoff walk and Jesus Sucre and Carlos Triunfel singled to load the bases. Corey Patterson singled to right to score one run, and Franklin lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score another. A walk to Romero again loaded the bases, and Nate Tenbrink singled up the middle for the Rainiers ' third run of the inning.

Leading off for the second consecutive inning in the fourth, Poythress belted a home run deep to left-center field to extend Tacoma 's advantage to 4-0.

Poythress again drew a leadoff walk in the sixth, chasing Mathis from the game and sparking the Rainiers ' four-run rally. Reliever A.J. Battisto allowed a single to Sucre and hit Triunfel to load the bases, but got Corey Patterson to bounce back to the mound, starting a home-to-first double play and seemingly give the Zephyrs hope of escaping the inning.

But after an intentional pass to Franklin, Romero drilled a 1-0 offering from Battisto over the fence in left field for a grand slam, his third long ball of the season.

The Zephyrs broke up the shutout bid in the bottom of the frame, when Jordan Brown reached on an infield single, moved to third on a single by Ben Lasater and a throwing error by third baseman Alex Liddi, and scored on a ground out by Koyie Hill.

Mathis (1-3) took the loss, yielding five runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked five. Battisto also allowed five runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings of relief and issued three walks, while Scott Maine was charged with four runs (two earned) on four hits with four walks in 1 2/3 innings.

Tacoma starter Andrew Carraway blanked the Zephyrs on two hits for 4 1/3 innings before giving way to the bullpen. Brian Sweeney (2-2) went 2 2/3 innings with four strikeouts in relief to earn the victory.

The series resumes with a Mother's Day matinee on Sunday at 2 p.m. All moms receive free admission, with the first 300 moms receiving a flower from Villere's Florist.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 11, 2013


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