Marcus Wilson Drives in Five Runs (Grand Slam, Double) as Tacoma Lowers Magic Number to 1
September 18, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
El Paso, TX - The Tacoma Rainiers (71-45) won their sixth straight on Friday, tied a season-high with their sixth consecutive road win, and have won 11 of 12 and 17 of 20 as they inch closer to the Triple-A West regular season championship. The Rainiers defeated the El Paso Chihuahuas (44-72) by an 11-5 final, and hold a three-game lead over the Sugar Land Skeeters (68-48) in the overall league standings, with four to play. The Rainiers most recently won a league title in 2010 (PCL, defeated Memphis 3-0 in finals).
Jantzen Witte homered (17) for a second straight game to begin this series, lofting a solo shot out to centerfield in the top of the first inning. It was 2-0 Tacoma following a pair of El Paso fielding errors and a Brian O'Keefe (3-for-5) single; a walk to Alen Hanson loaded the bases. That set the table for a Marcus Wilson grand slam to left field and a 6-0 first inning lead. Wilson jumped on the first pitch- his fourth home run since joining the Mariners/Rainiers from the Red Sox organization via waivers August 2. It was the fourth grand slam for Tacoma.
In the third, Hanson hit his sixth triple in only 33 games with Tacoma, scoring O'Keefe after a single. Hanson scored on a Wilson double to right field a batter later, and Wilson scored on a Donnie Walton RBI groundout for a 9-0 lead. Wilson's five RBI equaled an individual season-best for the Rainiers (fifth time). The Chihuahuas pushed across their first run in the home third, on a Jose Azocar RBI double.
El Paso continued to chip away in the fifth, on a three-run homer from Taylor Kohlwey (7), trimming Tacoma's lead to five runs.
Tacoma starter Ryan Weber threw a season-high 100 pitches (71 for strikes), scattering eight hits while striking out five over 6.0 innings. The four runs against him were earned, but for the seventh time in eight starts with the Rainiers, Weber did not walk a batter. In 47.1 IP with the Rainiers this season, Weber has struck out 46, and walked only two. Tacoma is 7-1 when he starts.
The Rainiers hit double-digits a consecutive night in the seventh when Jose Godoy (single), Hanson (double) and Wilson (walk) loaded the bases. Luis Liberato's sac fly made the score 10-4. Taylor Trammell's 12th home run of the season, a solo shot to right field in the eighth, concluded the visiting scoring for the evening.
Tacoma will start RHP Darren McCaughan in game three of the series on Saturday night, a 6:05 PT first pitch at Southwest University Park. El Paso will counter with RHP Jesse Scholtens.
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 18, 2021
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