The Tacoma Rainiers are in the midst of their most successful series of the season, and they have the pitching to thank.
Konner Wade and three relievers combined on a three-hit shutout of the Sacramento River Cats on Friday night at Sutter Health Park, giving Tacoma back-to-back shutout pitching performances. Reaching back to the last innings of Wednesday’s game, Tacoma pitchers have combined to deliver 20 consecutive scoreless innings.
It’s the first time Tacoma has pitched back-to-back shutouts since May 30, 2019, when the Rainiers whitewashed the Chihuahuas in both games of a doubleheader at El Paso. That day Jonathan Niese and Gerson Bautista pitched the Rainiers to a 4-0 win in the opener, then Anthony Misiewicz and Matt Festa lead the Rainiers to a 7-0 victory in the nightcap.
The shutouts have helped the team secure a couple of season firsts: after losing each of the first six series of the season, the Rainiers have clinched at least a split of the six-gamer at Sacramento. Leading the series 3-1, the Rainiers need just one win in the final two games to get their first series victory of the year.
Also, today the Rainiers are shooting for the first three-game winning streak of the season. There haven’t been many opportunities for that, since this is only the second time that the club has won back-to-back games.
RAINIERS DAILY
YESTERDAY: The Rainiers pitched their second consecutive shutout, winning 2-0 at Sacramento. Konner Wade started and went six innings, allowing just a pair of singles. Roenis Elias, Patrick Weigel, and Nick Ramirez finished the combined three-hitter. Offensively, Erick Mejia had an RBI single and Sam Haggerty daringly scored on a wild pitch that did not get far from the catcher.
TODAY: Tacoma Rainiers (14-26) at Sacramento River Cats (19-21), 6:35
OPPONENT AFFILIATION: San Francisco Giants.
OPPOSING MANAGER: Dave Brundage.
SEASON SERIES: Tacoma leads, 3-1.
PITCHERS: RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon (3-2, 5.54) at LHP Michael Plassmeyer (0-4, 5.80)
ROSTER MOVES: Yesterday the Mariners activated reliever Matt Festa from the injured list, and optioned reliever Wyatt Mills to Tacoma. Tacoma transferred catcher David Shaeffer to Double-A Arkansas.
HOT HITTERS: Sam Haggerty has reached base safely in 14 straight games, and he has scored 12 runs over his last 11 games… Marcus Wilson has homered three times during his last six games, and he has reached base in seven straight games… Joe Odom has a four-game hitting streak.
OPPONENT NEWS: Sacramento just split a six-game series at El Paso, 3-3… Austin Dean hit three solo homers on Sunday, tying a River Cats record… Isan Diaz hit four homers during the six games at El Paso… David Villar also homered four times at El Paso; he leads the league with 13 home runs, but only three have come in home games… former Rainiers from this season Donovan Walton, Kevin Padlo, and Stuart Fairchild are all expected to play for Sacramento in this series.
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:
- Trevor Story beat the Mariners again, this time with a grand slam in the Red Sox 7-3 win on Friday.
- In the Mariners Notebook we learn that catcher Tom Murphy had a setback in his recovery from a dislocated shoulder.
- The M’s have played 40 games, and marc w at USS Mariner writes that it is time to let the worrying begin.
June 8, 2023