The Tacoma Rainiers continued their winning ways on Thursday night, taking a healthy lead early and holding on for a 6-5 win over Sacramento. That makes four straight wins for Tacoma, and victories in seven of the last eight games.
The Rainiers have pulled within ten games of .500 at 26-36. OK, ok, we know that’s not great, but it’s a lot better than what it was! This is the team’s first sustained winning stretch of the season and it’s been fun to watch.
Starting pitching again dominated last night, with Konner Wade allowing one run over five innings. In the first three games of the Sacramento series Tacoma starters have combined to pitch 18.1 innings and allow just two runs.
Things could be a bit different today, starting-pitching wise. The Mariners have a doubleheader tomorrow, and the rules allow them to call up an extra player for it. Because of this, the Rainiers have pitchers “on hold” while the M’s figure out what they are going to do. The result of all this is the Rainiers are going to have a bullpen game today. Tacoma’s starting pitcher tonight will be a reliever who will likely only pitch two or three innings at most.
Two position players returned from minor nagging injuries last night. Jarred Kelenic came back from some hamstring tightness that caused him to miss three games, and he went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. Also returning was Marcus Wilson, who left Tuesday’s game when he was hit on the left hand by a pitch. I figured he would be out for a while, but instead there he was in the starting lineup last night. Wilson continued his torrid stretch at the plate, launching an opposite-field homer to give him four HRs in his last five games played. That will make the hand feel better!
If you’re coming to the game, don’t forget it’s Fireworks Night. Stick around until the end and we’ll have some pyrotechnics for you.
RAINIERS DAILY
YESTERDAY: Tacoma starter Konner Wade delivered a solid outing as the Rainiers built an early 6-1 lead and then held on for a 6-5 win over Sacramento on Thursday night. It was Tacoma’s fourth win in a row, and seventh in the last eight games. Wade lasted five innings allowing one run, retiring the final ten batters he faced in order. Kevin Padlo had a go-ahead two-run single in the first inning, and Tacoma added a pair of runs in the fifth on back-to-back solo homers by Erick Mejia and Marcus Wilson.
TODAY: Sacramento River Cats (24-39) at Tacoma Rainiers (26-36), 7:05.
OPPONENT AFFILIATION: San Francisco Giants.
OPPOSING MANAGER: Dave Brundage.
SEASON SERIES: Tacoma leads, 7-2.
PITCHERS: LHP Enmanuel De Jesus (1-1, 4.59) at RHP Patrick Weigel (2-2, 2.93)
It’s a bullpen game for the Rainiers, and Weigel gets first crack at ’em.
ROSTER MOVES: Yesterday the Mariners announced they have claimed third baseman Drew Ellis off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks, and assigned him to Tacoma. Ellis is in transit today and may arrive in time for tonight’s game. There will be more roster moves before tonight’s game.
HOT HITTERS: Forrest Wall has reached base safely in nine straight games, and he has a .421 on-base percentage so far this month… Brian O’Keefe has reached base safely in 25 of the 27 games he has played in… Jarred Kelenic has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games… Mason McCoy is hitting .320-3-8 with a 1.004 OPS in June… Marcus Wilson has homered in four of his last five games, and he leads the team with 12.
OPPONENT NEWS: Sacramento won the last two games of its home series against Reno, ending an 11-game losing streak (looking further back, they had lost 14 of 15 games)… the River Cats have lost four straight series, including four-of-six to Tacoma at Sutter Health Park in May… David Villar ranks second in the league with 16 home runs. He has reached base in 11 straight games… Sacramento manager Dave Brundage served as Tacoma’s manager in 2006, he was also the Rainiers hitting coach from 1998 to 2000… reliever Taylor Williams is a former Mariner who was traded to San Diego for Matt Brash.
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 Angels beat the Mariners, 4-1, as Mike Trout homered twice.
- In the PCL, Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City is an aged structure, but it still presents one of the most beautiful views in the league. The neighborhood around it has gone downhill, but the city is starting to look at ideas to improve the area.
March 24, 2023