Sports briefs: Pacifics drop first of four games against Bakersfield

The San Rafael Pacifics began a stretch of four consecutive games against the Bakersfield Train Robbers with an 8-5 road loss on Wednesday night.

The Pacifics (16-7 Pecos League) were set to face the Train Robbers (14-7) in Bakersfield on Thursday night before coming home for a two-game set at Albert Park on Friday and Saturday.

Bakersfield jumped out to a 7-0 lead after scoring four times in the fifth inning Wednesday only to see the Pacifics rally and make a game out of it with a five-run sixth inning.

Esai Santos had two hits and drove in two runs in the game. Mark Hernandez also had two hits.

The loss was the second in a row for the Pacifics, who also dropped a 4-2 result against Marysville on Tuesday. John Bicos hit a home run for San Rafael in the fourth inning to pull the Pacifics within 2-1.

Marysville tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the eighth before Pacifics catcher Beau Dorman hit an RBI single in the bottom of the frame for the final margin.