Hernandez Dominant In Rainiers 5-3 Victory Over Las Vegas

TACOMA, Wash. - The Tacoma Rainiers (35-27) rode an impressive performance from a rehabbing Félix Hernández (1-0) and another productive day from designated hitter D.J. Peterson to secure a 5-3 victory over the Las Vegas 51s (25-39) on Sunday afternoon at Cheney Stadium.
Peterson (1x3, HR, 2 RBI), left fielder Boog Powell (2x3, RBI) and right fielder Andrew Aplin (1x3, HR, RBI) lead the way for the Rainiers on offense as Tacoma took the rubber match over the 51s.

Hernandez was spectacular during his second start for Tacoma this season, retiring the first 14 batters he faced and allowing just one run through five innings. He would add five strikeouts and just one walk en route to earning his first victory in Tacoma since July 2016.
Patience at the plate and key at-bats with runners in scoring position gave the Rainiers an early lead in the bottom half of the third. Catcher Tuffy Gosewisch laced a double down the left field line - his ninth of the season - advancing shortstop Ryan Jackson to third. With Jackson in scoring position, Powell lifted a sacrifice fly to net his tenth RBI of the campaign and give Tacoma a 1-0 lead.
Centerfielder Leonys Martin led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to the gap in right-center and came around to score when second baseman Zach Shank lined an RBI single to right field, extending the Tacoma lead to 2-0.
Desmond Jennings drew a walk with two outs in the top of the fifth, as he became the first Las Vegas batter to reach base on Sunday. Jayce Boyd then doubled to the gap in right-center, scoring Jennings from third and cutting the 51s deficit in half at 2-1.
Peterson remained red-hot Sunday afternoon - the Rainiers third baseman is hitting .303 with three doubles, five home runs, and 20 RBI in his last 22 games - with a two-run home run that landed in the R Yard down the left field line during the bottom of the fifth, extending the Tacoma lead to 4-1.
Boyd brought the 51s within one in the top of the eighth with a two-run home run to left field, moving the score to 4-3.
Tacoma would answer once again in the bottom of the eighth as Aplin drilled his third home run of the season deep down the right field line, extending the Tacoma advantage to 5-3. 
Rainiers righty Jean Machi entered the game in the top of the eighth inning, struck out three Las Vegas batters and earned his eighth save of the season while extending his current hot streak to 10.1 consecutive scoreless innings.
The Rainiers have Monday off before they begin a four-game series on the road with the El Paso Chihuahuas on Tuesday. Right hander Rob Whalen (0-3, 5.18) is slated to start for Tacoma and righty Bryan Rodriguez (1-4, 4.94) will toe the rubber for El Paso. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. PT.
All tickets, group outings and suites packages for the 2017 season are available for purchase in person at the Cheney Stadium Box Office, online at www.tacomarainiers.com, or over the phone at (253) 752-7707. The most up-to-date news and notes about the Rainiers throughout the season can be found by following the Rainiers on Twitter (@RainiersLand) or liking the team on Facebook.