At long last, the Tacoma Rainiers are back home at Cheney Stadium today with an 11:35 AM game against rival Reno.
The team just completed its longest road trip of the season, a 12-game, 14-day journey to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Results were middling, as the team went 4-8 on the trip.
However, the team did end the trip on a positive note with by out-slugging Salt Lake in the final game on Sunday, 14-10. In fact, the Rainiers bats really came alive the last two days in Salt Lake City: Tacoma scored 26 runs on 33 hits over the last two games, and hit nine home runs. The team combined to hit .355 (33-for-93) during the two games.
Tacoma scored double-digit runs three times in the Salt Lake City – they won the series-opening game last Tuesday, 13-11. Sure, the high-elevation conditions helped out, but at least the hitters should be feeling good and confident coming into the homestand that begins today.
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We expect that some rehabilitating major leaguers will continue to help for the Rainiers this week, as injured Seattle Mariners are close to returning to the big leagues. Kyle Lewis is expected to make his Cheney Stadium debut during this homestand – he could be in the lineup today. Also, veteran Mariners reliever Sergio Romo could appear for the Rainiers at some point soon.
RAINIERS DAILY
YESTERDAY: The entire league was off yesterday. On Sunday the Rainiers closed out the 12-game road trip with a 14-10 win over the Salt Lake Bees. Tacoma had 17 hits, including five home runs and four doubles, while setting a season-high for runs scored. Steven Souza Jr. went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBI to lead the attack. Erick Mejia and Joe Odom each had three hits as well. Matt Brash made his Triple-A debut out of the bullpen, pitching two innings and yielding a solo homer.
TODAY: Reno Aces (14-16) at Tacoma Rainiers (9-21), 11:35 AM.
OPPONENT AFFILIATION: Arizona Diamondbacks.
OPPOSING MANAGER: Gil Velazquez.
SEASON SERIES: 0-0.
PITCHERS: RHP Corbin Martin (0-0, 0.00) at RHP Darren McCaughan (1-2, 6.75)
Martin makes his first Triple-A appearance of the season after working as a long man in the Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen for the past month.
ROSTER MOVES: The Mariners optioned reliever Riley O’Brien to Tacoma. Left-handed pitcher Nick Margevicius has cleared waivers and was outrighted to Tacoma, so he’s back on the roster. Pitcher John Creel was sent to extended spring training.
HOT HITTERS: Sam Haggerty has a five-game hitting streak, and he went 16-for-42 on the road trip… Mason McCoy has reached base in 14 straight games, hitting safely in 13 of them with an eight-game hitting streak… Zach Green has at least one hit in 11 of his last 12 games, and he has homered in back-to-back games… Steven Souza Jr. has reached base safely in nine straight games, and in the last two games at Salt Lake he went 6-for-11 with two homers and eight RBI… Donovan Walton has a four-game hitting streak.
OPPONENT NEWS: Reno won on Sunday against Round Rock, but still went 2-4 in the six-game series… the Aces have a decidedly different look from last year, with a new manager and few returning players… top prospect Alek Thomas was called up on Sunday, so the Rainiers will miss him… Jake McCarthy has a ten-game hitting streak… Yonny Hernandez had an 11-game hitting streak end on Sunday… the Aces have former Rainiers Braden Bishop and Jake Hager.
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:
- We’ll start with this week’s Rainiers Notebook from The News Tribune. The main section is on Kyle Lewis.
- Last night the Mariners got shut out by Philadelphia, 9-0. At least Julio Rodriguez had three hits.
- George Kirby came up from Double-A for his major league debut, tossed a gem, and the Mariners ended a six-game losing streak.
- Fun one on reliever Penn Murfee, who still hasn’t allowed a run in the major leagues.
- A Mariners teenager appears on this week’s edition of Baseball America’s Prospect Hot Sheet.
March 24, 2023