HR-happy Rainiers roll 51s
Patrick Kivlehan went 3-for-4 with a go-ahead home run in the fifth inning, one of three homers hit by Tacoma in the Rainiers’ 12-7 victory over the 51s in a Pacific Coast League game Friday in Tacoma, Wash.
Stefen Romero went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and a double and totaled three RBIs, and Steve Barron hit a three-run homer and totaled four RBIs for the Rainiers (41-41), who held a 16-9 edge in hits.
Alex Castellanos and Anthony Recker homered in a three-run fifth in which Las Vegas (46-36) forged a 7-7 tie.
But Kivlehan led off the bottom of the inning with his 15th homer of the season, kicking off a three-run inning off 51s reliever Vic Black (0-2).
Leury Bonilla went 3-for-5 with a double and scored three runs for Tacoma.
Rainiers starter Steve Landazuri gave up four runs on four hits, four walks and four hit-batsmen in four innings. Lucas Luetge (1-2) worked the next 1 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks.
Danny Farquhar relieved Luetge and finally quieted Las Vegas’ offense, striking out five in 2 1/3 perfect innings.
Matt Reynolds went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for Las Vegas.