“I have to warn you,” Sacramento broadcaster Johnny Doskow started telling me prior to yesterday’s series opener between the River Cats and the Tacoma Rainiers. “Every game we play is three and a half hours long.”
The two of us just laughed. This is the Season of No Complaining for Triple-A broadcasters. We’re all just happy to be working again after sitting out the 2020 season.
Well, Johnny wasn’t kidding.
Sacramento and Tacoma played a 4 hour, 6 minute nine-inning game last night. It was Tacoma’s second longest nine-inning game since 2010, and just the third to eclipse the four-hour mark.
We were on pace for a longer game than that, with the game reaching the two hour mark in the top of the fourth inning. The pace sped up a little bit once Sacramento took a substantial lead in the fifth.
The main culprit was the full counts. It seemed like every batter reached a 3-2 count before something happened.
Sacramento won the game, 15-7, but Tacoma’s Cal Raleigh extended his hitting streak to 19 straight games and he’ll shoot for No. 20 tonight.
The last 20-game hitting streak for a Tacoma player came in 2015, when Franklin Gutierrez did it. Here’s a list of recent Tacoma hitting streaks that eclipsed 20 games:
22 – Mike Carp in 2011, Ryan Langerhans in 2011, and Brad Miller in 2013*
21 – Luis Rodriguez in 2012
20 – Franklin Gutierrez in 2015
Miller’s streak is still active, eight years later. The Mariners called him up after he hit in his 22nd straight game in 2013, and he has not returned to Tacoma since. He’s currently in the big leagues with the Phillies (and hitting .277 with six homers in a reserve role). It’s not that big of a stretch to imagine him signing a minor league deal with the Mariners a year or two or three down the road and showing up in Tacoma, where he’ll have a nice hitting streak waiting for him.
The franchise record hitting streak is 26 straight games, done by Tacoma Giants outfielder Rex Johnston in 1965 and tied by Tacoma Rainiers infielder Chad Akers in 1999.
RAINIERS DAILY
YESTERDAY: Sacramento pasted the Rainiers in the series opener on Thursday night, 15-7. Tacoma led 3-2 after three innings before the River Cats scored four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, with Mitchell Tolman’s grand slam in the fifth making it 10-3. Dylan Moore, Luis Torrens, and Jantzen Witte each had two hits for Tacoma. Witte got to throw eephus pitches in the ninth inning again, this time less effectively allowing three runs.
TODAY: Sacramento (14-17) at Tacoma (15-15), 7:05 PT.
OPPONENT AFFILIATION: San Francisco Giants.
OPPOSING MANAGER: Dave Brundage.
SEASON SERIES: Sacramento leads, 1-0.
PITCHERS: RHP Matt Frisbee (1-0, 5.40) at RHP Darren McCaughan (1-2, 6.43)
Yes, that’s the real name of the Sacramento pitcher.
ROSTER MOVES: Evan White‘s rehabilitation assignment was postponed as he’s not quite ready yet in his return from a hip flexor.
HOT HITTERS: Cal Raleigh has a 19-game hitting streak, going 32-for-81 during the streak… Raleigh has reached base safely in 23 straight games… Jack Reinheimer saw his nine-game hitting streak end last night… the Rainiers have homered in each of the last 17 games, clubbing 37 home runs during that time with 16 different players going deep.
OPPONENT NEWS: Sacramento just split a six-game series at Reno… catcher Joey Bart is one of the top prospects in the league; he’s 9-for-20 with two homers in his last four games… Joe McCarthy is on a 13-game hitting streak; he extended it with a single off a Jantzen Witte eephus pitch in the ninth inning yesterday… former Rainiers outfielder Braden Bishop has an eight-game hitting streak, going 19-for-35 during the streak… Sacramento manager Dave Brundage managed the Rainiers in 2006, and was a Tacoma hitting coach prior to that. He played outfield in the Mariners farm system.
BROADCAST: All games will be broadcast free on a live audio stream which is available right here.
Unfortunately, there is no traditional terrestrial radio station carrying the games at this time.
TRIPLE-A WEST SCOREBOARD: Follow all league games in real-time with links to Gameday screens right here.
STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- The Mariners also played something of a clunker on Thursday, losing an early game at Detroit 8-3. Mitch Haniger hit two solo homers.
Listen to every home and away Tacoma Rainiers game for free HERE. You can also download the MiLB First Pitch app for a free and easy one-click listening experience at home, work or in your car. Watch an HD video broadcast of every game with an MiLB.TV subscription. Use code: RAINIERS to save $10 on an annual subscription.
About the Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The Rainiers are a member of the Triple-A West. Tacoma has been a Mariners affiliate since establishing the Rainiers moniker in 1995.
Find more information and purchase single game tickets here. Questions regarding season tickets can be directed to Tickets@WeRTacoma.com.
The most up-to-date news and notes about the Tacoma Rainiers and Cheney Stadium can be found at WeRTacoma.com, or by following the Rainiers on Twitter (@RainiersLand), Instagram (@tacomarainiers) and liking the team on Facebook.
We R Tacoma Team Store
The We R Tacoma Team Store is currently open Monday-Friday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (non-game days) or until the end of the game on home game days. Team Store purchases can also be made online 24/7. Grab your Rainiers gear, your Defiance ‘fit, and follow the team store on Instagram and Twitter.
March 16, 2023