The Tucson Padres finished their 2011 season on the road. They were in Tacoma for four games with the Rainiers starting Monday 8/29.

Starting pitcher Jeremy Hefner pitched game one of the series with the Seattle Mariners triple-A affiliate. Jarrett Grube started game one for Tacoma. SP Grube gave up two runs on two hits while striking out seven.

SP Hefner threw six shutout innings while striking out five. SP Hefner left the game in line for the win with a 2-0 lead. Centerfielder Eric Patterson had a double and a run batted in and catcher Luis Martinez had the other Tucson RBI.

T-Pads reliever Greg Burke gave up the lead in the eighth inning allowing two runs on three hits. RP Pat Neshek took the mound in the ninth and with two outs gave up a walk-off homerun to Michael Saunders. Tacoma took game one 2-4.

Game two of the series was a bit of a pitchers duel between Tucson SP Rob Musgrave and Tacoma SP Erasmo Ramirez. SP Musgrave held the Tacoma line-up that included designated hitter Justin Smoak, to two hits. SP Musgrave pitched six shutout innings while striking out five.

All of the offense came in the third inning when DH Kyle Phillips gave Tucson the lead with a two-run homerun off of SP Ramirez. That was all the offense needed as RP Neshek, Will Inman and Luis Perdomo all threw scoreless innings of relief. SP Musgrave earned his second win in as many tries and RP Perdomo earned save number 10 in the 2-0 win.

A total of four pitchers were used in game three of the series with Tacoma. SP Samuel Deduno pitched against Tacoma SP NatE. Robertson. SP Deduno allowed five runs (three earned) in six innings. SP Deduno walked four batters and struck out two.

SP Robertson pitched eight innings while allowing one unearned run. Right fielder James Darnell had a hit and scored the only run for Tucson. Third baseman Pedro Feliz had a hit and was credited with the only T-Pads RBI in the 1-6 loss.

SP Jon Leicester made his final start of the season in the final game with Tacoma. Leicester pitched six innings while giving up four runs with three strikeouts. SP Leicester pitched 135.2 innings for Tucson this season; he ends the year with five wins and nine losses. He struck out 66 batters and has a 6.50 earned run average this season.

The Rainiers sent SP Luke French to the mound against SP Leicester. SP French got off to a rough start, allowing a three-run homerun to DH Bobby Kielty in the first inning. He settled down after that as Tucson was held scoreless the rest of the game. SP French had seven strikeouts in seven innings pitched.

DH Kielty had two hits and the three RBI, RF Darnell had a hit and a run scored in the 3-7 loss. Tucson won one of three games with the Tacoma Rainiers.

The T-Pads final series of the season took place in Reno Nevada where they played four games with the Reno Aces. SP Matt Buschmann made his final start of the season Friday against familiar foe SP Wes Roemer. SP Buschmann got the best of SP Roemer in a 6-4 Tucson win back on August 28.

Both pitchers threw well in game one of this series but neither received a decision. SP Buschmann pitched seven innings while allowing one run on six strikeouts. SP Roemer threw just under six innings while allowing a run on six strikeouts as well.

LF Matt Clark had two hits including his 23^rd homerun of the season. At the end of nine innings the game was tied 1-1. After walking three batters RP Inman gave up a base hit to CF Ryan Langerhans in the bottom of the tenth inning to receive the loss. Tucson lost game one 1-2.

The T-Pads went to extra innings with Reno again in game two of the series. SP Hefner had a very solid outing striking out 10 in seven innings. He gave up three runs (one earned) and received no decision on the night.

Opposing pitcher Barry Enright also threw seven innings but he allowed four earned runs on ten hits with four strikeouts. Eight different T-Pads had hits on Saturday including two different pitchers. SP Hefner had a hit and pinch hitter Leicester was one-for-one with an RBI.

C Phillips had three hits and two runs scored and 2B Anthony Contreras had two hits and two RBI in the game. SS Steve Tolleson had a double and two runs scored and both 3B Feliz and 1B Clark had two hits and an RBI in the 11-inning game. RP Aaron Poreda earned his fourth win of the year in the 6-5 victory.

The T-Pads bats continued to produce in game three of the series that saw SP Musgrave throw against Reno SP Kevin Mulvey. SP Musgrave continued his consistent throwing as he pitched seven innings while allowing three runs on four strikeouts. SP Mulvey didn’t fair as well throwing just over five innings while allowing seven runs (six earned).

Eight different T-Pads scored runs in the game where the team combined for ten runs on ten hits. LF Clark had two hits, a run scored and an RBI, 3B Feliz had two hits a run scored and two RBI. 1B Guillermo Quiroz had two hits and scored twice, SS Pat McKenna had a double and two runs scored, PH Kielty had a hit and two RBI and CF Mykal Stokes had a triple and led the team with three RBI on the night.

RP Inman worked two scoreless innings in relief and SP Musgrave earned his third win in a row in the T-Pads 10-3 victory.

The final game of the series and the Tucson Padres season took place on Monday September 5. SP Deduno faced off with Reno SP Tom Layne in what would prove to be a slugfest of a season finally.

SP Deduno allowed five runs (one earned) and SP Layne allowed five earned runs. Both starters struck out two, SP Deduno threw just under three innings and SP Layne lasted six. Tucson threw four pitchers including 2B Contreras who only allowed one run in his first pitching performance of the season.

There was a run scored by one of the teams in every inning of the game and eight different T-Pads had hits in the ball game. RF Patterson had two hits and a run scored, 3B Feliz had two doubles, a run scored and an RBI. CF Stokes had three hits and two RBI and SS McKenna had two hits including a solo homerun.

The game was close until opposing LF Angel Berroa slugged a grand-slam in the seventh inning off of RP Perdomo. Tucson lost the final game of the season 8-12. The T-Pads split the series with the Arizona Diamondbacks triple-A affiliate winning two of four that leaves their season record at 65-79.

Look for a full season re-cap coming soon to Friarhood.com.