PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes - May 8, 2021 vs. El Paso Chihuahuas

Published on May 9, 2021 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


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Tacoma Rainiers (1-1) vs. El Paso Chihuahuas (1-1) Saturday, May 8, 2021 | Cheney Stadium - Tacoma, WA LHP Héctor Santiago (NR, -.--) vs. RHP Brett Kennedy (NR, -.--)

FIRST ONE IN THE WIN COLUMN: The Tacoma Rainiers earned their first victory in 615 days (8/30/19 at Las Vegas) on Friday vs. the El Paso Chihuahuas, 8-2. No. 28 overall prospect (MLB Pipeline) RHP Logan Gilbert (1-0) made his Rainiers - and Triple-A - debut, and outdueled San Padres top prospect LHP MacKenzie Gore (0-1). Gilbert allowed 1 ER over 5 innings while Tacoma chased Gore with no outs in the 5th inning thanks to a 2-run double from SS Donovan Walton. The two-bagger started an 8-run outburst over two innings, securing Gilbert's first win, and Kristopher Negrón's first career managerial victory.

Walton led the offensive charge with a 2-for-4 effort, 3 RBI and 2 runs. LF Jarred Kelenic (2-for-4) and CF Braden Bishop also scored a pair of runs in the victory. Sam Travis collected his first two hits of the season, including a 2-run double in Tacoma's 5-run 6th inning.

LHP Ben Onyshko (H, 1) combined with RHP Jimmy Yacabonis and RHP Ryan Dull for 4 innings of 1-run relief to close the door.

WE WENT TO JARRED: Top Mariners prospect Jarred Kelenic collected 2 hits, 1 RBI and 2 R in Friday's victory, improving his season line to 4-for-10, 3 RBI, 5 R. Kelenic singled to lead off the first against El Paso lefty MacKenzie Gore, and he added an RBI single off former Tacoma reliever Aaron Northcraft in the 6th inning.

Kelenic hit solo home runs in back-to-back at-bats on Opening Night, which gave him 5 over 3 games dating back to his last official contests in Sept. 2019.

LOTS OF FIRSTS: Friday marked Tacoma's first victory of the season, and first since Sept. 29, 2019. It was also the first Triple-A and Tacoma Rainiers win for Mariners No. 4 prospect (MLB Pipeline) RHP Logan Gilbert. Additionally, Rainiers manager Kristopher Negrón earned his first win as a professional manager at any level. LHP Ben Onyshko, who was transferred from Everett before Friday's contest, made his Triple-A debut and delivered 1.2 innings of relief with 3 strikeouts. He was credited with his first hold.

STRIKEOUTS GALORE: For the second straight game, Rainiers pitchers racked up more than 1 strikeout per inning. After punching out 15 El Paso hitters in Thursday's 12-inning marathon, Logan Gilbert and company tallied 10 whiffs on Friday.

Gilbert, who made his pro debut in 2019, struck out 5 in as many innings. Over 135.0 IP in his rookie season, Gilbert ranked T-7th among minor league pitchers (min. 125.0 IP) with 165 strikeouts.

EFFICIENCY, BROUGHT TO YOU BY LOGAN GILBERT: RHP Logan Gilbert needed just 67 pitches to get through 5 innings of 1-run baseball on Friday. 47 of his 67 pitches (70.1%) found the strike zone, and the prospect did not issue any walks in his Rainiers debut. To-date, Gilbert has a career strike rate of 65.4% (1475-for-2254).

THE UP-AND-COMING: Tacoma's announced Opening Night roster featured 5 of the Top 30 prospects in the Seattle Mariners organization, according to MLB Pipeline. OF Jarred Kelenic (No. 1), RHP Logan Gilbert (4), C Cal Raleigh (8), LHP Aaron Fletcher (18), and RHP Wyatt Mills (22) were all announced as Rainiers on April 30.

Kelenic (4) and Gilbert (28) are two of Seattle's 7 prospects featured on the MLB Pipeline Top 100 Prospect Ranking. The Mariners system started the MLB regular season ranked 3rd by MLB Pipeline and 2nd by Baseball America.

FAMILIAR FACES: Three Rainiers on the current roster played with Tacoma in 2019, including outfielder Braden Bishop (43 G), Eric Filia (35 G) and Luis Liberato (1 G). 2019 Opening Night starting pitcher Erik Swanson (recalled by Seattle on 5/2) was on Tacoma's announced Opening Night roster.

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