Tacoma Takes Opener Over Bees

TACOMA, WA – The Tacoma Rainiers (22-18) won the series opener against the Salt Lake Bees (16-23) by a score of 8-5, Tuesday at Cheney Stadium.

Making his Triple-A debut, Emerson Hancock loaded the bases on three straight walks to start the game but worked out of trouble without allowing a run. He was given a run of support in the third on an RBI single from Blake Hunt.

Tacoma grew their lead to 4-0 in the fifth on a solo home run from Hunt and RBI singles by Ryan Bliss and Cade Marlowe. Hancock completed six scoreless frames, allowing four hits and four walks while striking out two.

He was followed by Ty Buttrey, who allowed the first two runs of the game for the Bees. Salt Lake cut their deficit in half in the seventh inning on an RBI triple from Jordyn Adams and a ground out from Jason Martin.

The Rainiers got the two runs right back, scoring on a sacrifice fly from Brian Anderson and an RBI single from Jason Vosler to take a 6-2 lead. Two bases loaded walks in the eighth made it 8-2 Tacoma.

Down to their last strike, Charles Leblanc clubbed a three-run home run for Salt Lake to make it 8-5, but that is where it would stay.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• J.P. Crawford went 1-for-4 with a strikeout in his first game on Major League rehab. He made six assists and two put-outs at shortstop. In his third game on MLR, Dominic Canzone went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.
• All nine starters in Tacoma’s lineup recorded at least one hit, with Blake Hunt, Jason Vosler and Jonatan Clase leading the way with two apiece. Hunt went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a home run and two runs batted in.

Tacoma and Salt Lake continue their series tomorrow night, with first pitch from Cheney scheduled for 6:05 pm. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/tacoma.