By John Tomlinson
TACOMA, Wash. — Winning streaks ended for both the Salt Lake Stingers and the Tacoma Rainiers this weekend as they split the first two games of a four-game series.
On Saturday, July 26, the Stingers snapped their season-high five game road winning streak and lost 4-2.
Tacoma used three pitchers and only gave up four hits and two earned runs while striking out a combined nine batters.
Rainiers” starting pitcher Kazuhiro Sasaki made his first rehab start after breaking two ribs and threw 12 pitches and struck out all three batters he faced. Sasaki was the Seattle Mariners closer before the injury.
The only scoring for the Stingers came in the fifth inning. Catcher Wil Nieves and centerfielder Julio Ramirez both hit into RBI groundouts.
Stingers” left fielder Jeff Guiel hit a double to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.
Tacoma scored three runs in the third, including a two-out two-run single by first baseman Andy Barkett. That proved to be enough as Tacoma handed the Stingers their first road loss since July 13.
Stingers” starting pitcher Billy Stokley picked up his second loss since joining Salt Lake a week ago. He gave up four runs — one earned — and five hits in seven innings in the loss.
On Friday, the Stingers won 3-2 to snap the Rainiers four-game winning streak, which matched a season high.
Stingers” leftfielder Gary Johnson hit a solo home run in the second to open the scoring for his club. He also walked in the fourth inning and came around to score on a fielder”s choice.
Salt Lake added an insurance run in the top of the eighth when designated hitter Adam Riggs had an RBI single.
Starting pitcher Matt Hensley won his third straight game to pick up his team-high seventh win of the season. He threw seven shutout innings and gave up five hits while striking out four.
Tacoma”s designated hitter Chris Snelling made his AAA debut after being recalled from AA. He provided all the offense the Rainiers would get.
Snelling went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to put his team within one run of the lead. But, Stingers” closer Bart Miadich shut Tacoma out in the ninth and earned his 13th save of the season.
This weekend there were two transactions for the Salt Lake Stingers. Alfredo Amezaga was called up by the Anaheim Angels and Chone Figgins was sent back down to the Stingers after joining the Angels on June 27.
