As mentioned yesterday, it’s always concerning to me when the Rainiers have a series opener against a team on a long losing streak. You just know the losing streak is not going to continue for the opponent for very much longer (unless they’re the Rochester Red Wings).
That’s what happened last night at Cheney Stadium, when the Las Vegas Aviators flew into town riding a seven-game losing streak.
They came out swinging aggressively in the first inning, drilling five hits and scoring four runs. Then the Aviators played like a team on a seven-game losing streak, giving up the lead by botching a foul pop-up in the fourth inning before Drew Ellis hit a game-tying home run on the very next pitch.
But Vegas kept swinging the sticks, and scored four runs in the sixth, then added two umpire-aided runs in the ninth when an obviously foul ball was called fair for a two-run double.
Now we’ll see if the Rainiers can immediately bounce back. Sure, Vegas ended its losing streak, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Aviators are a team that has lost 17 of the last 21 games. This is still a very winnable seven-game series.
RAINIERS DAILY
YESTERDAY: Las Vegas banged out 16 hits and ended a seven-game losing streak with a 10-4 win over Tacoma last night. The Aviators scored four runs in the top of the first inning, but Tacoma battled back and tied it 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth on Drew Ellis‘s two-run homer. But Vegas scored four runs in the top of the sixth to regain the lead and did not give it up a second time.
TODAY: Las Vegas Aviators (52-53) at Tacoma Rainiers (47-58), 7:05.
OPPONENT AFFILIATION: Oakland A’s.
OPPOSING MANAGER: Fran Riordan – but he’s away from the team right now, and Steve Scarsone is filling in during this series.
SEASON SERIES: Las Vegas leads, 9-3.
PITCHERS: RHP Collin Wiles (8-7, 5.45) at RHP Chris Mazza (1-3, 10.20)
ROSTER MOVES: Yesterday we had a lot of action. Reliever Brennan Bernardino was called up by the Mariners (for his third time this month already), Abraham Toro reported to Tacoma, and injured M’s Ken Giles and Evan White started rehabilitation assignments. Also, the Mariners signed veteran left-hander Anthony Banda and assigned him to Tacoma. Today the Mariners optioned Kyle Lewis to Tacoma, and also optioned Bernardino back as well.
HOT HITTERS: Taylor Trammell is 6-for-21 with two homers during the first six games of his rehabilitation assignment… Erick Mejia has a four-game hitting streak, and he has reached base safely in nine straight games… Forrest Wall has a four-game hitting streak.
OPPONENT NEWS: The Aviators come into the series on a seven-game losing streak, and they had lost 17 of the last 20 games, but they won the opener last night… Las Vegas has the Charles Wright Academy alum Nate Mondou on its roster, and former Rainiers reliever Dave McKay is also on the team… Billy McKinney is on an eight-game hitting streak, and Sheldon Neuse has a seven-gamer.
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:
- The Mariners won a thriller yesterday, 1-0 over the Yankees in 13 innings.
- Sam Haggerty has been impacting the Mariners in many ways.
- The return of Mitch Haniger could be huge for the Mariners down the stretch, Larry Stone writes.
- In the PCL, Gig Harbor High School alum Michael Toglia was promoted to Triple-A Albuquerque by the Colorado Rockies, just in time for the Isotopes trip to Tacoma next week.
March 24, 2023