Rainiers Blast Past Dodgers in 8-5 Win
July 15, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma, WA - The Tacoma Rainiers (36-50) defeated the Oklahoma City Dodgers (51-36) 8-5 on Thursday night at Cheney Stadium. Tacoma's offense got back on track, tallying double-digit hits (12) for the first time since 7/7 against Reno.
The Rainiers got on the board first in the third inning. Alex Blandino led off the frame with a walk, and reached third on a single by Forrest Wall. The next batter, Drew Ellis, scored Blandino on a sacrifice fly to deep left field, giving Tacoma a 1-0 lead. Jarred Kelenic then crushed a double off the wall in left, driving in Wall and increasing the Rainiers' lead to two.
Mason McCoy made it a 4-0 game with one swing of the bat in the fourth. Following a leadoff single by Joe Odom, McCoy lined a ball over the wall in left for a two-run homer, his eighth bomb of the season. Later in the frame, with the bases loaded, Kevin Padlo knocked a ball up the middle, scoring Blandino and Wall.
Oklahoma City broke through against Rainiers RHP Darren McCaughan in the fifth inning. With two men on and one out, Miguel Vargas laced a ball down the line in left for a double, scoring two. Michael Busch followed and lined a single to shallow right field. Kelenic gathered the ball and threw a laser to the catcher Joe Odom, nabbing Vargas who was attempting to score from second and ending the Dodgers' rally. McCaughan went six strong innings on Thursday, allowing two runs on six hits, notching his fifth quality start of the season.
In the sixth, the Rainiers plated two runs on just one hit. Blandino (hit by pitch) and Wall (single) reached to lead off the frame, and advanced to second and third on a deep flyout by Ellis. Then, with Padlo at bat, RHP Dellin Betances threw a ball to the backstop for a wild pitch, allowing Blandino to score and moving Wall up to the third. The next pitch, Padlo hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Wall and making it a 8-2 game.
The Dodgers drew closer in the late innings yet could not come all the way back. Tacoma LHP Nick Ramirez walked Busch to lead off the eighth, and Jason Martin followed by hitting towering homer to right field, his team-leading 18th of the season. In the top of the ninth, Vargas hit an RBI fielder's choice to Blandino at second, bringing home Tony Wolters. This ended the scoring, giving the Rainiers an 8-5 victory.
The Rainiers look to even the series against the Dodgers on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. at Cheney Stadium. LHP Justus Sheffield is scheduled to get the start for Tacoma and will face RHP Sam Gaviglio for Oklahoma City.
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.
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