Tacoma starts hot, holds off Chihuahuas in series opener
EL PASO, Texas – The Tacoma Rainiers batted around in back-to-back innings, held off a late El Paso comeback and beat the Chihuahuas 11-7 Tuesday night at Southwest University Park. Tacoma scored six runs in the fourth, the highest single-inning run total against El Paso this season, and brought home five more runs in the fifth.
After being down 11-2 in the fifth, the Chihuahuas scored five unanswered runs throughout the rest of the game but fell short despite multiple late-inning rallies. James Loney went 1-for-3 with three RBIs for the Chihuahuas and Jose Pirela went 3-for-5 with an RBI triple.
Eric Yardley pitched two scoreless innings out of El Paso’s bullpen in his Triple-A debut after being transferred from Double-A San Antonio before the game. Frank Garces and Tayron Guerrero preceded Yardley with scoreless appearances also. Most of El Paso’s games thus far have been lopsided wins or lopsided losses, as only one 2016 Chihuahuas game has been decided by two runs or less.
Gameday Box Score: http://www.milb.com/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2016_04_19_tacaaa_elpaaa_1&mode=gameday
Team Records: Tacoma (9-3), El Paso (3-8)
Next Game: Wednesday vs. Tacoma at Southwest University Park, 11:05 a.m. Tacoma LHP James Paxton (0-2, 11.37) vs. El Paso RHP Daniel McCutchen (2-0, 7.36). Game coverage begins at 11:00 a.m. on 600 ESPN El Paso and www.epchihuahuas.com.
