First baseman Evan White had his biggest game ever at the Triple-A level last night, going 4-for-5 with two home runs and four runs batted in. He also drove a double to straight-away center field that hit halfway up the giant wall – a ball that would have been a homer in many Pacific Coast League ballparks.
This game put an exclamation point on the progress that White has made this year. Finally healthy after over a calendar year of hip-related surgeries, White is off the injured list and playing (almost) every day. Not only is he driving the ball with authority in the batter’s box, but he has also appeared quite spry defensively, moving with quickness and purpose.
White won the Gold Glove Award at first base during his rookie year of 2020, but he has never hit much in the major leagues. It’s worthwhile to remember that he jumped straight from Double-A – where he did hit pretty well – to the big leagues in 2020, skipping Triple-A. Getting an extended stretch of at-bats in Triple-A is certainly of value for him and his development as a hitter.
With his numbers getting quite a boost from the big game last night, White ended up hitting .288 for Tacoma in 15 games in August. He hit six homers, drove in 13 runs, and posted an OPS of 1.104.
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The Tacoma Rainiers announced the 2023 schedule today. You can check it out right here.
As for me, well, I’d like to finish 2022 first before we start looking at 2023. We’ve got a game tonight!
RAINIERS DAILY
YESTERDAY: Sacramento won a wild one last night, overcoming an early eight-run deficit and beating the Rainiers in the ninth, 12-11. Tacoma led 10-2 after two innings, getting two-run homers from Evan White, Drew Ellis, and Erick Mejia. Sacramento tied the game in the top of the fourth – yes, that quickly – but White launched his second homer of the game in the bottom of the fourth to give Tacoma an 11-10 lead. The bullpens settled in and no one scored until the ninth, when Sacramento rallied for two runs against Rainiers closer Nick Ramirez. Austin Dean drove in the winning run with a two-out, pinch-hit bloop double down the right field line.
TODAY: Sacramento River Cats (56-69) at Tacoma Rainiers (58-67), 7:05.
OPPONENT AFFILIATION: San Francisco Giants.
OPPOSING MANAGER: Dave Brundage
SEASON SERIES: Tacoma leads, 12-8.
PITCHERS: RHP Wei-Chieh Huang (1-2, 4.75) at LHP Tommy Milone (3-0, 1.13)
ROSTER MOVES: Today the major league rosters expanded by two, to a limit of 28. The Mariners used their two added spots to activate pitcher Matthew Boyd from the injured list, and recall outfielder Taylor Trammell from Tacoma.
HOT HITTERS: Erick Mejia has hit safely in five straight, and 17 of his last 18 games… Mason McCoy has reached base safely in nine straight games, and he has homered six times over his last 16 games… Kyle Lewis has a five-game hitting streak, and Jonathan Villar has a four-game streak.
OPPONENT NEWS: Sacramento comes into the series hot, winning five of six in a home series against first place Reno… Sacramento pitched really well in that series, holding Reno to three runs or fewer in all five of the River Cats wins… Sacramento has one former Rainiers reliever in Aaron Fletcher, and former Rainiers infielder Donovan Walton is on the injured list…. Austin Dean has hit safely in eight of his last nine games.
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.
PCL SCOREBOARD: Follow all league games in real-time with links to broadcasts and Gameday screens right here.
Links:
- Just recalled from Tacoma, Abraham Toro hit the go-ahead home run for the Mariners in their win at Detroit last night.
- Chris Flexen reached a milestone that kicked his contract into gear for next season.
- Looks like Sacramento is adding outfielder Lewis Brinson from the Astros organization.
March 24, 2023