
Aviators Fly by Rainiers Late Despite Two Kelenic Homers
September 16, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Las Vegas, NV - The Tacoma Rainiers (66-72) hit four home runs on Thursday night, but slipped to 6-3 on this 12-game road trip by losing 7-5 to the Las Vegas Aviators (68-70). All Rainiers runs on the evening were via longball, but Vegas scored the final five of the game. While leading this series 2-1, Tacoma will need a 9-3 finish to achieve a .500 record.
With two down in the top of the first inning Kyle Lewis singled and Jarred Kelenic crushed his 16th Triple-A homer of the year to right-center, and Tacoma went ahead 2-0. The Aviators tied it with a run in each of the first two frames; Matt Davidson tripled for an RBI, Dalton Kelly grounded into a double play with a runner at third base.
In the third Marcus Wilson un-tied the game with a mammoth solo home run landing next to the batter's eye in left-center, for a 3-2 Tacoma advantage. It was Wilson's 16th bomb as well. The score was 5-2 after two more solo shots; Jonathan Villar in the fifth, his fourth with the Rainiers, a laser beam to center clocked at an exit velocity of 112 mph. Kelenic teed off on his second of the game in the sixth (17), measured at an estimated 446 feet up and over the swimming pool beyond the right-centerfield wall.
Kelenic led the way with three hits; Lewis, Villar and Wilson joined him with multi-hit efforts.
The disaster inning for Tacoma was the seventh. Las Vegas scored five times on only three hits, with the aid of a walk, HBP and two errors. The Rainiers, who had not committed more than three errors in a game this season and entered action with the fewest defensive miscues in Triple-A (70), booted a season-high five errors on Thursday. Tacoma native Nate Mondou (RBI single) and Connor Capel (double) had the run-scoring hits in the seventh for the Aviators.
Sam Selman pitched a scoreless ninth (BB, K), his sixth save. The Rainiers have still won eight of their last 12.
This weeklong series will continue with game four on Friday, another 7:05 PT first pitch at Las Vegas Ballpark. Lefties Roenis Elias (Tacoma) and Jared Koenig (Las Vegas) comprise the probable pitching matchup.
Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto will have full coverage on TacomaRainiers.com. All 2022 Rainiers games, home and away, can also be heard for free on the MiLB First Pitch app. HD video broadcasts of every game can be viewed with a MiLB.TV subscription.
Pacific Coast League Stories from September 16, 2022
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- Dodgers Outlast Isotopes with 12-9 win - Oklahoma City Comets
- Chihuahuas Down Express in Game Four of the Series - Round Rock Express
- Space Cowboys Drop Friday Contest to Salt Lake - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Salt Lake Wins Over Sugar Land 8 - 2 - Salt Lake Bees
- Schaeffer to Manage in Arizona Fall League - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Olivero Dazzles, Cedeno Mashes in 9-2 Win over River Cats - Reno Aces
- Saturday's River Cats at Aces Game Moved to West Sacramento Due to Air Quality Concerns in Reno - Sacramento River Cats
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- Space Cowboys Game Notes vs. Salt Lake - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Las Vegas (7:05 PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - September 16, 2022 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Dodgers Earn 6-2 Win Over The Isotopes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Aviators Fly by Rainiers Late Despite Two Kelenic Homers - Tacoma Rainiers
- Round Rock Snaps Losing Skid with 10-4 Victory over El Paso - Round Rock Express
- Space Cowboys Hit Trio of Home Runs vs. Salt Lake - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Tacoma Rainiers Stories
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