Taijuan Walker Strikes Out A Career-Best 13 As Rainiers Edge Fresno

TACOMA, Wash. -- Taijuan Walker struck out a career-best 13 batters as the Tacoma Rainiers edged the Fresno Grizzlies 2-1 at Cheney Stadium on Sunday.

Walker (5-3) collected his fifth win in his 11th start with the Rainiers this season after holding the Grizzlies to one run on two hits and one walk. The right-hander's strike out total is the most recorded by a Rainiers pitcher since Rich Dorman struck out 14 batters against the Salt Lake Bees on August 29, 2006.

The Rainiers ended the game with a season-high 17 strikeouts. Lucas Luetge added the final four after entering the game in relief of Walker in the eighth. The left-hander turned in 2.0 perfect innings on the way to collecting his third save with Tacoma this season.

Fresno posted one run on two hits in the first inning, and held a 1-0 lead until Tacoma evened the score in the sixth. Outfielder James Jones grounded a single that plated catcher John Hicks to lock the game at 1-1. The go-ahead run for Tacoma arrived in the seventh when Hicks hit an RBI single that scored Jesus Montero.

Tacoma tallied a total of six hits against the Grizzlies. Jones and Hicks turned in the team's only two-hit efforts after each went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Hicks has now hit safely in each of his last seven games dating back to July 30.

The Rainiers (63-59) wrap up the homestand in the final game of a five-game series with the Grizzlies (58-64) tomorrow, August 11. Right-hander Jordan Pries (8-6, 3.90) is slated to start for Tacoma. Fresno will start left-hander Kelvin Marte (1-0, 4.15). First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 a.m.

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