Rainiers PCL Playoffs Game 4
Well at least this doesn’t directly conflict with an M’s game today. If you’re in Seattle, come down to Safeco. Gametime is 12 noon, and if yesterday was any indication, great seats are still available.
Tacoma again goes for the series win, sending Yusmeiro Petit for his first start of the series. Petit is coming off his best outing of the season, going 7 innings of shutout baseball on Sept. 5th with 8Ks and no walks. More importantly, the RiverCats have re-activated Brett Tomko to make the start for Sacramento. This means the Rainiers can satisfy the Sullivan Postulate, which held that after beating Travis Blackley in game 1 and John Halama in game 2, the Rainiers could only win by beating Tomko. That looked tough, as he’d been placed on the inactive list. But he’s back, and I’m betting he can still hear Lou Piniella’s screams echoing around Safeco field.
Recaps/commentary on last night’s RiverCats win from Mike Curto here and Larry Stone here.
Today’s Rainiers line-up:
1: Ackley
2: Halman
3: Mangini
4: Winfree
5: Carp
6: Smoak
7: Nelson
8: Alfonzo
9: Hulett
Lots of photos, not as much commentary below. Just a reminder that gameday is here and you should listen to Mike Curto here or on 850AM. Aaand that’s the ballgame, final score 5-1 Sacramento. Just like last night, none of the Rainiers’ pitchers had good command. Petit struggled a bit, but nobody struggled more than Dan Cortes who gave up 3 in the 9th. The 5th and deciding game is tomorrow night at Safeco Field – it’d be great to get a bigger crowd out tomorrow, but the logistics are going to be tough – the Seahawks game will be letting out and the I-5 roadwork will make getting back to Tacoma a nightmare. I’m not selling this. PLAYOFFS! WINNER TAKE ALL!
Pictures of Ackley, Halman, Mangini, Petit, Cortes, Patterson, Tomko and more after the jump.
The RiverCats get one in the 1st, and after a 1-2-3 bottom of the first, the RiverCats are up again. In lieu of more commentary that adds a tiny bit of value over gameday (and that may be debatable), I thought I’d put up more pictures this time. Stay tuned….
Pitcures! I shrunk these town to spare those of you on slow connections, but hey, pictures.
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Tough to find more different batters back-to-back than Ackley and Halman.
Go Rainiers!!!
For those interested, Petit’s FB is around 85-87, with a good 75-76 change.
Tomko has 5 Ks in 3 hitless innings. Weird.
Petit gets out of the 4th with a nice strike ’em out throw ’em out double play.
Rainiers now have a couple of hits off of Tomko, but still can’t get a run across. Greg Halman had the first hit, a GB single up the middle (pictured above). He went to 3rd on a single by David Winfree, but they were stranded. The RiverCats now have a man on 2nd with one out in the 6th.
Petit may be tiring here in the 6th. Two men on now following a walk to Matt Watson.
The Rainiers have Ian Snell warming up in the ‘pen.
2-0 Sacto after a base hit by Brown. That’ll chase Petit. In comes…gulp..Ian Snell.
Petit’s line: 5 2/3 IP, 6H, 2R, 3BB, 3K.
Brett Tomko is cruising somehow.
That first picture of Ackley makes him look a lot like Francisco Cervelli.
Travis Blackley warming up for Sacramento. If we can’t hang an L on Tomko, we’ll just give Blackley his 2nd of the series. C’mon Rainiers!
And Jose Castro’s just been ejected for arguing a check-swing with the 3B umpire.
Blackley now in for Tomko with 2 on and no outs in the 7th.
Anthony Varvaro warming up in the Tacoma bullpen.
Smoak picked a bad time for a quick K.
In to pinch-hit is Mike Wilson.
….And they’re not going to pitch to him. Intentional walk brings up Eliezer Alfonzo.
Michael Benacka comes in relieving Blackley, leaving the Sullivan Postulate in a weird spot.
Eliezer Alfonzo has the bases loaded and 2 outs, but now has to deal with a righty.
And the RiverCats get out of the jam.
Anthony Varvaro starts his inning with 2 straight walks. A sacrifice bunt puts runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out for CF Corey Brown.
Close play at the plate, but the Rainiers get the 2nd out on a FC, 5-2.
Safeco is killing the Rainiers in the playoffs. It is a homefield disadvantage.
Anyone know who’s pitching tomorrow?