TACOMA, Wash. — For the second straight night the Tacoma Rainier pitchers quited the Salt Lake Bee's bats. The Rainiers allowed only four hits and struck out seven batters in the 16-2 win.
Tacoma jumped out to an early lead with a first inning RBI double by T.J. Bohn followed by a two-run sacrifice fly by Jon Nelson. The Rainiers added two runs in the third and three more in the fourth to take an 8-0 lead.
Kendry Morales ended hopes of second consecutive Rainier shutout in the sixth on a single to center that drove in Tommy Murphy and Curtis Pride.
Tacoma scored two insurance runs in the seventh and six more in the eighth to complete the rout of the Bees.
The Bees will wrap up their four game series against the Rainiers today at 8 p.m.
The Bees clinched the Pacific North title on Monday night and will face the Pacific South winning Tucson Sidewinders in the first round.
The first two games of the series will take place in Tucson, Ariz. with Game 1 on Wednesday, September 6 (6:30 p.m.) and Game 2 on Thursday, September 7 (6:30 p.m). The Bees are guaranteed at least Game 3 in Salt Lake City on Friday, September 8 (7 p.m.) at Franklin Covey Field. Game 4 on Saturday, September 9 (7 p.m.) and game 5 on Sunday, September 10 (2 p.m.), if necessary, would also be played in Salt Lake City.
Salt Lake Bees playoff tickets go on sale today at 8:30 a.m. and are available by calling 325-SEAT, the Franklin Covey Field box office, at slbees.com or at select Ticket Master locations. Any playoff ticket purchased for a game that is not played may be redeemed for two tickets to any 2007 Bees regular season home game (excluding 7/4, 7/24) or for two $9 upper bowl Utah Jazz tickets for any game in October, November or December 2006 (excluding 11/24, 12/15, 12/26).