Tacoma pitcher Andy Baldwin held the Colorado Springs Sky Sox hitless until the fifth inning as the Rainiers avoided a series sweep with a 6-3 victory Tuesday at Security Service Field.

Chris Woodward, Chris Shelton and Jeff Clement hit home runs for Tacoma while Baldwin allowed three hits and a run in six innings while stifling the Sky Sox’s normally potent offense.

“He threw off-speed stuff when he was behind in counts,” Sky Sox right fielder Chris Frey said. “He mixed his stuff good and kept it down.”

The Sky Sox collected at least nine hits in 15 of their previous 18 games, with a high of 20.

“We’ve had different guys step up every day,” Frey said. “We’ve got a lot of talent and guys have been producing.”

Baldwin (2-1), the nephew of former Detroit Tigers reliever John Hiller, lowered his ERA to an impressive 1.50.

The 26-year-old Oregon State product was acquired by the Seattle Mariners organization on Aug. 20, 2006, along with pitcher Andrew Barb in a trade with Philadelphia for veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer.

“(Baldwin) was tough,” Sky Sox manager Tom Runnells said. “Hitters would get ahead in the count and think they were getting a fastball and he’d throw a curve or change for strikes. You mix like that, you’re going to have success.”

The Sky Sox (13-6) had won eight of their previous 10 games.

Tacoma (10-10) evened the all-time series with the Sky Sox at 126-126.

The Sky Sox finished with six hits, including a pair of RBI singles by Carlos Gonzalez.

Catcher Edwin Bellorin doubled with two outs in the fifth for the Sox’s first hit.

Freddy Guzman had an RBI single and RBI double for the Rainiers.

The Sky Sox begin a home series with Sacramento on Thursday.

NotesOutfielder Matt Murton missed the game while his wife gave birth to their son. Murton leads the Sky Sox in hitting (.411), homers (four), doubles (six), runs (18) and hits (30). … Reliever Scott Munter hurt a groin muscle while facing Tacoma’s first hitter in the eighth inning and had to leave the game.

Eric Young Jr. dropped the ball trying to prevent a stolen base. Photo by KIRK SPEER, THE GAZETTE