The El Paso Chihuahuas lost to the Tacoma Rainiers 8-5 Saturday night but clinched their fourth consecutive Pacific Southern division title when the Fresno Grizzlies beat the Salt Lake Bees 7-6.
The Grizzlies scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to stun Salt Lake.
The Chihuahuas are the first San Diego Padres’ Triple-A affiliate in history to win four straight division titles. El Paso is the first Pacific Coast League team since the Omaha Storm Chasers (2011-2014) to reach the playoffs in four straight seasons.
The Chihuahuas will face Fresno at Southwest University Park on Wednesday, September 5 to start the best-of-five conference finals.
The Memphis Redbirds will take on the Oklahoma City Dodgers or Colorado Springs Sky Sox in the American Conference finals before the two series winners meet in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series.
Saturday’s loss in Tacoma ended the Chihuahuas’ team-record 10-game winning streak.
Tacoma 8 El Paso 5 – Saturday: WP: Higgins (1-0) | LP: Lloyd (3-2) | S: Armstrong (15) | Time: 2:59 | Attn: 6,194
Box Score | Team Records: El Paso (77-53), Tacoma (64-66)
Next Game: Sunday, 2:35 pm at Cheney Stadium. El Paso RHP Walker Lockett (5-9, 4.73) vs. Tacoma LHP Ross Detwiler (2-5, 5.15). The game will air on 600 ESPN El Paso and www.epchihuahuas.com.
