Sports stats

PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Bliss-Ful Thursday Ryan Bliss: 3-For-3, Triple, 2 Runs, on Base 5X (2 BB)

September 8, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers' Ryan Bliss
Tacoma Rainiers' Ryan Bliss
(Tacoma Rainiers, Credit: David Herold)

Salt Lake City, UT - The Tacoma Rainiers (72-63, 35-25) snapped a three-game skid with an 8-4 victory over the Salt Lake Bees (61-73, 24-36) on Thursday, and remain one game out of the Pacific Coast League's second half playoff spot with 15 to play. Round Rock (36-24) snapped a four-game slide of their own with an 11-10 win at El Paso.

Tacoma opened the scoring in the top of the third, when Pedro Severino led off with a 407-foot solo shot to left field, his sixth home run as a Rainier. It was 2-0 Tacoma later in the inning when Ryan Bliss tripled, and scored a batter later when Jarred Kelenic (MLB rehab) singled up the middle. Bliss is on a seven-game hitting streak, batting .565 (13-for-23) since August 31 following his perfect night at the plate.

Kelenic is now 10-for-24 (.417), with five walks, a homer and three RBI over seven games of his rehab assignment with the Rainiers.

The Bees rallied to tie with a run in the home third and fourth; Jordyn Adams homered (15) and Jack Lopez singled home David Fletcher after a triple. The Rainiers went back ahead in the visiting fifth when Zach DeLoach dumped a bases-loaded single into left field, scoring Riley Unroe (single) and Kelenic (walk) for a 4-2 lead.

Rainiers RHP Adam Oller did not walk a batter over five innings, scattering six hits and three runs, only two earned. Oller was one shy of a season-high with eight strikeouts. Salt Lake starter JD Hammer worked 4.2 IP: 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.

With Tacoma leading 4-3 in the sixth inning, Cooper Hummel destroyed his sixth homer to left-center leading off, to the tune of 436 feet and 105.6 mph off the bat. It was both the hardest hit and furthest traveling baseball of the night.

Jared Walsh homered (7) to begin the Salt Lake sixth, trimming the Tacoma lead back to a run, 5-4. The Rainiers won going away however, tallying the final three. In the eighth, Hummel doubled and scored on a Robbie Tenerowicz RBI single.

Tacoma tacked on more than enough insurance in the ninth, when Unroe led off with a walk and stole a base, eventually scoring on a DeLoach sac fly, his third RBI of the night (game-high). DeLoach has extended his career-high RBI total to 81, and is top-10 in the PCL. Taylor Trammell added an RBI single in the final frame to wrap scoring.

Eight of nine Rainiers batters had a base hit on Thursday; Hummel joined Bliss with multiple knocks. Six of nine drove in a run. Bliss, Hummel and Unroe each scored two runs apiece.

Diego Castillo (K) and Riley O'Brien (3 K) each tossed a scoreless inning for Tacoma to close it.

The weeklong series will continue with game four on Friday, a 5:35 PT/6:35 MT first pitch at Smith's Ballpark. RHP Darren McCaughan is lined up to start for Tacoma. Nine games are left on this 12-game road trip (1-2).

Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto will have full coverage on TacomaRainiers.com. All 2023 Rainiers games, home and away, can also be heard for free on the MiLB First Pitch app. HD video broadcasts of every home game can be viewed with a MiLB.TV subscription.

Check out the Tacoma Rainiers Statistics




Images from this story

Tacoma Rainiers' Ryan Bliss
Tacoma Rainiers' Ryan Bliss
(David Herold)		   



Pacific Coast League Stories from September 8, 2023


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



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central