Bees Drop Tacoma, 5-3

TACOMA, Wash. -- Taijuan Walker tossed 3.0 innings in a rehab start with the Rainiers as Tacoma fell to the Salt Lake Bees 5-3 at Cheney Stadium on Wednesday.

Walker ended the night allowing four runs on five hits and struck out three in a losing effort. The right-hander turned in two scoreless innings before surrendering all four runs on four hits in the third, including back-to-back home runs hit by Efren Navarro and Luis Jimenez with two outs.

Tonight marked Walker's third minor league rehab appearance this season and his first with the Rainiers. He was placed on the Seattle Mariners Major League disabled list with a right shoulder impingement on March 29.

The Rainiers originally held a 2-0 lead after tallying a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Abraham Almonte led off with a double, and then scored on an RBI single delivered by Logan Morrison in the team's next at-bat. Morrison eventually scored after outfielder Jabari Blash drew a bases-loaded walk later in the inning.

Morrison accounted for the Rainiers third and final run after hitting a solo homer in the seventh - his first in six rehab games with the Rainiers. He ended the night going 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI.

Tacoma's lineup combined to collect a total of ten hits against the Bees. Xavier Avery's 3-for-4 performance topped the team, with Almonte and catcher Jesus Sucre each contributing two-hit efforts.

Chance Ruffin entered the game in relief of Walker to start the fourth and held Salt Lake to one run on three hits in 3.0 innings of work. James Gillheeney (2.0) and Carson Smith (1.0) combined to allow three hits and struck out two in 3.0 shutout innings beginning in the seventh.

The Rainiers (21-30) host the third game of the team's four-game series with Salt Lake (19-35) at 7:05 p.m. tomorrow, May 29. Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez is scheduled to start for Tacoma in the contest against right-hander Anthony Lerew (0-0, 9.00) for the Bees.

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