Welcome to our first Week in Review, a new series in which we’ll look back at what transpired over the last week. I guess it’s kind of self-explanatory, isn’t it?

The blog returned from hibernation on Tuesday with a new location and a new look.

Thursday’s post prepared us for that night’s season opener.

On Friday we looked back at the opening game, a 7-6 loss in 12 innings to El Paso despite a monstrous Triple-A debut from Jarred Kelenic.

Saturday we got to read about something fun: winning, as the Rainiers notched their first win of the season the prior night. Winning, it’s like better than losing. Logan Gilbert was dealing in his Triple-A debut.

OK, let’s get to the info for Sunday’s day game.

RAINIERS DAILY

YESTERDAY: The Rainiers pounded out 13 hits, built a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning, and took down El Paso by a final score of 9-4 on Saturday evening. Dillon Thomas went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer, Jarred Kelenic had his third consecutive two-hit game, and both Eric Filia and Jose Godoy notched two hits. Veteran lefty Hector Santiago tossed four scoreless, no-hit innings while striking out seven. Brady Lail earned the Rainiers first save of the season, entering the game in the eighth inning with a 6-4 lead and closing things out without any stress.

TODAY: El Paso (1-2) at Tacoma (2-1), 1:35.

OPPONENT AFFILIATION: San Diego Padres.

OPPOSING MANAGER: Edwin Rodriguez.

SEASON SERIES: Tacoma leads, 2-1.

PITCHERS: RHP Jesse Scholtens (0-0, 0.00) at RHP Vinny Nittoli (0-0, 0.00)

For the final three games of this series the Rainiers will be starting pitchers who have already appeared in relief earlier in the series, beginning with Vinny Nittoli today. Nittoli was terrific in the season opener on Thursday, pitching two easy scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth of a tie game.

Embarrassing text exchange with Rainiers PR expert AJ Garcia last night:

Me: “I’ve never heard of this guy Scholtens pitching for El Paso tomorrow”

AJ: “You’ve called a game of his.”

Me: “Maybe I was sick that day?”

Scholtens faced the Rainiers at Cheney Stadium in May 23, 2018. Tacoma knocked him out in the fourth inning. Someone around here completely forgot about it.

ROSTER MOVES: The Mariners announced that they have signed three Triple-A veterans and assigned them to the Tacoma roster. Relief pitchers Brooks Pounders and Justin Grimm will join the club shortly, as well as catcher Caleb Joseph. All three players have MLB experience. It’s a return to Tacoma and the Mariners for Grimm, who pitched extremely well for the Rainiers during a short stint in 2018 and earned a September call-up. The three new players must go through the Covid intake protocol before they can be activated – might be today, or maybe not until this coming week.

OPPONENT NEWS: Gore is the top prospect on the Chihuahuas, but catcher Luis Campusano and infielder Tucupita Marcano are also well-regarded young players. El Paso has former Rainiers Patrick Kivlehan, John Andreoli, Aaron Northcraft, and Parker Markel.

BROADCAST: All games will be broadcast free on a live audio stream which is available right here.

As in the past, a streaming HD telecast is available through MiLB.TV. It’s a subscription service, but it’s just a one-time payment that gets you thousands of games from all levels of the minor leagues, including all 120 Tacoma Rainiers games home and away. That same link above has details on how to get it if you scroll down the page – there’s even a discount code.

Unfortunately, there is no traditional terrestrial radio station carrying the games at this time.

TRIPLE-A WEST SCOREBOARD: Follow all league games in real-time with links to Gameday screens right here.

STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

• The Mariners lost a doozey in Texas yesterday, 9-8. Ljay Newsome hit the injured list with elbow inflammation and this morning they replaced him with J.T. Chargois.
• Seattle Times writer Ryan Divish has one of his off-the-cuff Mariners Mailbags.
• The Times also has a piece on the work J.P. Crawford is doing to improve as a hitter.
• In the Triple-A West, we have a rundown of ten notes about the Las Vegas Aviators opening weekend from the Review-Journal. Vegas scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie Sacramento last night, and then won in the tenth.
• No link for you, but Sugar Land is putting an epic beatdown on Albuquerque, winning the first three games of the season by a combined score of 34-8 – and this series is being played at Albuquerque.
• In a direct opposite of the Sugar Land – Albuquerque series, but generating the same result, Reno has won three straight one-run games at Salt Lake.

Listen to every home and away Tacoma Rainiers game for free HERE. You can also download the MiLB First Pitch app for a free and easy one-click listening experience at home, work or in your car. Watch an HD video broadcast of every game with an MiLB.TV subscription. Use code: RAINIERS to save $10 on an annual subscription.

We R Tacoma

About the Tacoma Rainiers

The Tacoma Rainiers are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The Rainiers are a member of the Triple-A West, which begins its inaugural season on May 6, 2021. Tacoma has been a Mariners affiliate since establishing the Rainiers moniker in 1995.

Single game tickets through May 11 are now available. Purchase tickets in either vaccinated (must show proof of vaccine at gates) or non-vaccinated sections. Find more information and purchase single game tickets here. Questions regarding season tickets can be directed to Tickets@WeRTacoma.com.

The most up-to-date news and notes about the Tacoma Rainiers and Cheney Stadium can be found at WeRTacoma.com, or by following the Rainiers on Twitter (@RainiersLand), Instagram (@tacomarainiers) and liking the team on Facebook.

We R Tacoma Team Store

The We R Tacoma Team Store is currently open Monday-Friday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (non-game days) or until the end of the game on home game days. Team Store purchases can also be made online 24/7. Grab your Rainiers gear, your Defiance ‘fit, and follow the team store on Instagram and Twitter.