PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Dugger Deals, But Tacoma Falls Victim to Late-Innings Round Rock Rally

Published on September 24, 2021 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Round Rock, TX - The Triple-A West Champion Tacoma Rainiers (73-48 overall, 0-1 Triple-A Final Stretch) opened a five-game road series against the Round Rock Express (62-58, 1-0) by surrendering a 6-0 lead in a 7-6 walk-off defeat on Thursday, despite a terrific starting pitching performance. Eight of nine Tacoma batters also had a base hit; Jose Marmolejos (.351) did not, but walked twice.

Brian O'Keefe led off the fourth inning with a homer to left field, his 13th for Tacoma this season and his 24th of 2021, including his time at Double-A Arkansas. Jose Godoy (2-for-5) and Marcus Wilson followed the blast with singles, and Godoy scored on a Dillon Thomas sac fly. It was 3-0 Tacoma when Luis Liberato hit his fourth triple into the right field gap, scoring Wilson without a play.

The Rainiers would bat around in a 10-batter fourth, as the lead got to 5-0 on a Jantzen Witte (2-for-5) single which scored Liberato, and the 19th RBI in 15 games for Kevin Padlo, as his single scored Donovan Walton (walk), who has reached base in 36 of his last 38 games.

When Wilson and Thomas walked and singled with one out in the fifth, Walton singled to left with two out, scoring Wilson for a 6-0 advantage.

Tacoma starter Robert Dugger was superb, enjoying his best outing since joining the Mariners organization. Dugger allowed only one hit, an infield single, over six innings of work. He walked two and struck out six while throwing 87 pitches.

The Express broke up the shutout with a Domingo Leyba (3-for-4) solo homer in the home half of the seventh inning. Rangers top prospect Josh Jung hit a three-run homer in the eighth, tightening the score to two runs, and it was 6-5 in the ninth after another Round Rock rally and a Sam Huff RBI double. With the bases loaded, Ryan Dorrow then reached on a fielding error by pitcher Wyatt Mills, and a subsequent throwing error scored both the tying and winning runs for the Express.

Game seven of this 11-game Texas road trip, and game two of the Triple-A Final Stretch will be on Friday at Round Rock, another 5:05 PT first pitch. RHP Ryan Weber (Tacoma) and LHP Jake Latz (Round Rock) are the scheduled starting pitchers.

Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto will have full coverage on TacomaRainiers.com. All 2021 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 an MiLB.TV subscription. (Use code: RAINIERS to save $10 on an annual subscription.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 24, 2021


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