Round Rock, TX - Eighteen-year-old Robert Perez hustled his way to an inside-the-park home run on Tuesday, helping the Tacoma Rainiers win their second consecutive contest and earn a series split in Tuesday's finale against the Round Rock Express at Dell Diamond, 3-1.Shed Long crushed a 2-2 pitch from Round
Round Rock, TX - Eighteen-year-old Robert Perez hustled his way to an inside-the-park home run on Tuesday, helping the Tacoma Rainiers win their second consecutive contest and earn a series split in Tuesday's finale against the Round Rock Express at Dell Diamond, 3-1.
Shed Long crushed a 2-2 pitch from Round Rock (42-29) starter Akeem Bostick (4-3) in the top of the first inning to give Tacoma (34-38) an early 1-0 advantage.
After the Express knotted the score in the home half of the first, the Rainiers responded in the fourth with Perez's round-tripper. The designated hitter laced a line drive to center that got past a diving Drew Ferguson and to the wall. The relay throw home got away from catcher Lorenzo Quintana and Perez was credited with the homer. The inside-the-parker was Tacoma's first since Andrew Aplin legged one out on Aug. 3 last season against Oklahoma City.
The Rainiers used some small ball to add an insurance tally in the seventh, starting with a pair of bunts from Kelby Tomlinson and Billy Cooke. A throwing error advanced Tomlinson to third before Kristopher Negrón lifted a sacrifice fly to score Tomlinson for his team-leading 44th RBI.
Lefty Sean Nolin (1-0) made his first start of the season for Tacoma and allowed Round Rock's lone run and their only three hits across five innings that included four strikeouts.
Right-hander Erik Swanson made his first appearance since being activated from the IL on Monday. Swanson pitched a scoreless sixth inning before Darin Gillies came on and retired all six batters he faced with a pair of punchouts. Matt Carasiti recorded his third save, and second with the Rainiers, with a 1-2-3 ninth inning, capping a 2:28 minute contest that included just seven hits.
Tacoma opens a five-game homestand on Thursday against the El Paso Chihuahuas, Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. Righty Tyler Cloyd (1-5, 5.40) will start the series opener at 7:05 p.m. PDT from Cheney Stadium on a Coors Light Thirsty Thursday. Mike Curto will have full coverage of on South Sound Talk 850 with audio streaming available on the Tacoma Rainiers TuneIn Radio Network.
All tickets, group outings, and suites packages for the 2019 season are available for purchase in person at the Cheney Stadium Box Office, online at TacomaRainiers.com and WeRTacoma.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), Instagram (tacomarainiers) or liking the team on Facebook.
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