Sheffield Shoves, Rainiers Romp 7-0 at Reno
June 3, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma Rainiers pitcher Justus Sheffield
(Tacoma Rainiers, Credit: Jeff Halstead)
Reno, NV - The Tacoma Rainiers (19-31) won their third straight to open this weeklong series against the Reno Aces (26-25), and have won eight of their last 10 road games following a 7-0 smothering on Thursday night. Tacoma/Seattle Mariners 40-man roster lefty Justus Sheffield fired six shutout innings, scattering only four hits and a walk; the southpaw struck out seven on 82 pitches. The Rainiers have also won 15 of their last 21 at Reno. Thursday was Tacoma's fourth win by shutout this season, as they out-hit the Aces 13-5.
Rainiers right fielder Jarred Kelenic led off the game by homering in that spot for a consecutive night, his fifth Triple-A homer of this season in only 14 games. Kelenic is on a current club-best eight-game hit streak, which is one game shy of Tacoma's longest streak in 2022 (Mason McCoy). Kelenic has homered in four of five games, and has an extra-base hit in five consecutive games as well. It was 2-0 Tacoma after an inning, after Forrest Wall drew a bases loaded walk.
In the fourth, Wall singled to begin the frame, stole second base and advanced to third on an error. It was 3-0 Rainiers after Alex Blandino plated Wall with a sac fly. The score was 4-0 after Joe Odom (3-for-5) whacked his eighth homer of the season to center, in the fifth. The solo shot puts Odom one home run behind Zach Green for the club lead.
Tacoma's third homer of the night came in the seventh, another solo shot, this time from Brian O'Keefe (2-for-5). His third of the season, to left-center, was also the longest-hit ball of the game at 419 feet.
Justin Upton's first hit and RBI with the Rainiers/as a member of the Mariners organization made it 6-0 in the eighth; Mason McCoy doubled to left field with one out, and Upton drove him in with two down, on a single to right. Every Rainiers batter had a hit on Thursday, and they combined to draw seven walks.
Tacoma pitchers combined to retire 10 consecutive Reno batters between innings four and eight while striking out 10 on the night, as relievers Asher Wojciechowski, Kyle Bird and Nick Ramirez each struck out one in an inning of work apiece. All five Reno hits were singles.
The Rainiers wrapped the night's scoring with a Blandino RBI single, his second RBI of the evening, part of a two-walk, two-hit top of the ninth.
Reno's starter, LHP Tyler Gilbert, did not get out of the first inning, recording only two outs while throwing 41 pitches. The Aces wound up using eight pitchers in a patchwork effort.
Game four of the series will commence at 6:35 p.m. PT on Friday night in Reno. RHP Konner Wade (1-1, 4.26) will start for Tacoma, against Aces RHP Corbin Martin (2-1, 5.40).
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 home game can be viewed with a MiLB.TV subscription.
Images from this story
 Tacoma Rainiers pitcher Justus Sheffield (Jeff Halstead) |
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