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PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Rainiers Rally for Wild Walk-Off on Sunday

August 21, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers' Drew Ellis in action
Tacoma Rainiers' Drew Ellis in action
(Tacoma Rainiers, Credit: Jeff Halstead)

Tacoma, WA - The Tacoma Rainiers (53-64) split their weeklong series with the Albuquerque Isotopes (53-63), by coming back from a pair of three-run deficits to win 9-8 in the bottom of the ninth at Cheney Stadium Sunday afternoon. A Drew Ellis laser off the bottom of the wall in right field scored Erick Mejia after a leadoff single, who moved to third base on a Luis Torrens double down the line in right. The Rainiers did not make an out in the final frame, and celebrated their eighth walk-off win this season. The clubs combined for 28 hits (16 for Tacoma).

A near-capacity gathering of 7,104 packed the ballpark; 58 fans shy of July 3 vs. Salt Lake (7,162) and 104 shy of May 14 vs. Reno (7,208), as the third-largest Tacoma crowd of 2022. Sunday was the fifth crowd of 7,000-plus at venerable Cheney Stadium this year, concluding a season-long 13-game homestand.

Evan White (DH) homered in the fifth inning (solo), his fourth home run in eight games during an extended MLB rehab assignment with the Rainiers as he recovers from hip and sports hernia injuries.

Trailing 7-5 in the sixth, the Rainiers pulverized a pair of 400-plus foot homers to the opposite field. Marcus Wilson (436' to right-center, solo) and Abraham Toro (405' to left-center, 2-run) put Tacoma on top for the first time.

With the Rainiers still leading 8-7 in the top of the ninth, Albuquerque had Sean Bouchard (single) on first base with two out. Running on contact, he scored all the way from first when Gig Harbor, WA native and Colorado Rockies 2019 first round pick Michael Toglia ripped a double into left-center to tie it, setting the table for the dramatics in the ninth. It was the lone base hit of the day for the local product, but Toglia enjoyed an 11-for-27 six-game series with two homers. Bouchard had the only Isotopes homer on Sunday, a solo shot in the fifth.

Forrest Wall (2 RBI, BB) and Torrens (double, run) led the way for the Rainiers with three hits apiece, Toro (3 RBI), Mejia (2 runs, BB) and Ellis (GW RBI) each registered two knocks for Tacoma. Jonathan Morales (3-for-4, 3 RBI) and Ryan Vilade (double, triple, walk, 2 runs, RBI) paced Albuquerque offensively.

The Rainiers jumped on Isotopes right-hander Riley Smith for nine hits and five (earned) runs over 5.0 IP (2 BB, 1 K). On a bullpen day for Tacoma, lefty Fernando Abad (7th) and righty Matt Koch (8th) each pitched a scoreless inning with a strikeout.

Following an off/travel day on Monday, the Rainiers will return to action with Tuesday's series opener in Salt Lake City. RHP Darren McCaughan (Tacoma) vs. RHP Davis Daniel (Salt Lake) is the probable pitching matchup for a 5:35 PT/6:35 MT start.

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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Images from this story

Tacoma Rainiers' Erick Mejia in action
Tacoma Rainiers' Erick Mejia in action
(Jeff Halstead)		 Tacoma Rainiers' Drew Ellis in action
Tacoma Rainiers' Drew Ellis in action
(Jeff Halstead)		  



Pacific Coast League Stories from August 21, 2022


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