THANK GOD FOR BOOZE >>>

Last night, the Tacoma Rainiers (33-40) lost to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in fourteen innings by a score of 4-5.

This is frustrating for any number of reasons.

First, the loss comes on the heels of a particularly rough series against the Salt Lake Bees. Second, the loss means the Rainiers are still struggling to find their footing in the post-Ackley era, having lost five of their last six, and having fallen to ten full games back of Reno in the PCL Pacific North division .

Finally, and most notably, last night felt like a game the Rainiers were going to win.

I don't know why, really. The team was down most of the game. But they still seemed strong. Rainiers' starting pitcher, knuckleballer Charlie Haeger looked competent, going seven innings and striking out six. The team, down 4-2 in the eighth, rallied to take the game to extras. And even though the Sky Sox went up 5-4 in the fourteenth, Matt Tuiasosopo stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the final inning and led off with a double.

When Tuiasosopo hit the double I thought, "This is it!" The Rainiers are going to win. Walk off fashion, baby. Dramatics. Down, then tied, then down again, then win! Put all that Ackley stuff, all that trouble winning at home stuff, all that recent struggles stuff behind them. Win a well-fought, claw from behind game to erase some recent doubts.

The Rainiers didn't win. They lost. The three batters that followed Tui all floundered, and the team sulked into the night. They lost after four hour of hard baseball . They lost a game where they never seemed out of it until the Sky Sox were trotting off the field.

It's funny how the games with the most potential to erase doubts can easily flip the other way. After last night's loss, the doubts are still here, and the team still struggles.

Notes ...

-The Rainiers Minute has yet to have any significant coverage of Dustin Ackley's call up to the Mariners. We thought you were probably sick of every news outlet in the Tri-State area covering the crap out of it. And, as long as we here at the Volcano don't cover his call-up, we can kind of pretend it never happened. You know, ignorance is bliss. La, la, la. Everything is fine. Dustin Ackley is still in a Rainiers' uniform. We don't wake up in cold sweats every night knowing our stud of a second baseman is no longer with the team. La, la, la. Everything is fine.

-I have a theory about Luke French. You know, the same Luke French that posted a 2.94 ERA in 113 innings with the Rainiers last season. The Luke French that helped lead the team to a PCL Championship. The Luke French who is struggling this year, with a 6.16 ERA and a win-loss record of 3-5.

Luke French's wife is pregnant. Due any minute.  

I know. This shouldn't change his play, right? Because we, as the media and the public, have grown accustomed to thinking baseball players are unstoppable robots who would never, ever let their personal lives affect their play on the diamond.

But maybe French has had more on his mind than striking out Reno Aces. More on his mind than his fastball. Hell, baseball players are men. Babies, and wives being pregnant, are huge. Bigger than baseball. Bigger than pitches. Hell, I'm a profesio... well, I know professionals who would let something way smaller than a baby effect their work.

Maybe, and this is just a theory, French will calm down after the baby is out. Return to last year's numbers. Have a clear head and a strong arm. Just a theory.

And French, if you are one of those robotic ‘professionals' that would never let the thought of a baby creep into your head while you're on the mound: fix your arm, dammit. We need you back to last year's numbers to give this team some umph.

- Fans can now vote for which Minor League players attend the upcoming Triple-A All Star Game. I trust the readers will perform their due diligence and vote for every Rainier on the ballot.   

The Rainiers try to snap out of their funk tonight at 7:05 p.m.. And even if they don't, a decent day at Cheney still means good times and beers on the burm.  

LINK: The "Rainiers Minute" collection