Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: 8/16/22 vs. ABQ (12:05 PT)
August 15, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma Rainiers (50-61) vs. Albuquerque Isotopes (50-60)
Tuesday, August 16, 2022, 12:05 p.m. PT | Cheney Stadium: Tacoma, WA
RHP Chris Mazza vs. RHP Ashton Goudeau
TURN-R-OUND: Tacoma began this season 9-23 (through May 11), but is 41-38 since. The Rainiers' low-water mark was 16 games under .500 at 28-44 on June 28. They're 22-17 since, 12-10 post break and 20-17 in the second half.
BARRELED KELENIC: In 58 total games this season with Tacoma, outfielder Jarred Kelenic has 71 hits (.291 AVG). 37 of those knocks have gone for extra bases (11 HR), a staggering 52.1% of his Triple-A hit total this season (.545 SLG, .902 OPS).
MEJIA MASH: INF/OF Erick Mejia is 13 for his last 36 (.361) with a homer (12), triple, four RBI, six runs and three walks. Mejia currently has a 13-game on-base streak dating to July 28, during which he's hitting .326 (15-for-46), with an .830 OPS (52 PA, eight-game hit streak).
R HOUSE CAN'T HOLD 'EM: From August 12-14, with a doubleheader on 8/13, the Rainiers scored 16 consecutive runs via home run over a four-game span against Las Vegas despite Cheney Stadium's pitcher-friendly dimensions. Abraham Toro, Drew Ellis, Mason McCoy, Zach Green, Forrest Wall, Josh Morgan and Evan White combined for nine homers to score the 16...Ellis had three of them including two on Sunday in Tacoma's 9-1 series finale win.
THE O'B RELIEVER: Rainiers RHP Riley O'Brien (Seattle-born, Shorewood High School) has struck out 52.38% of batters faced over his last five appearances (5.2 IP); he's K'd 11 of the last 21 hitters he's faced.
STEAL A BASE, STEAL A TACO(MA): Buffalo of the International League has re-taken the Triple-A lead in stolen bases (140) from Tacoma (138), who lead the Pacific Coast League. Rainiers outfielder Forrest Wall is second in the PCL in steals with 33. Last season, Wall stole 35 bases for Buffalo while in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, third-most in the IL (Triple-A East).
Wall is the first Rainiers player to steal 30 bases in a season since Ian Miller in 2018 (33), and if he reaches 40, would be the first Tacoma Triple-A player to do so since Lance Blankenship swiped 40 for the 1988 Tacoma Tigers (Oakland A's)...four are tied at 40 for the fourth-most steals in a single season in franchise history. Jimmy Sexton (56, 1981 Tigers), Rusty McNealy (43, 1983 Tigers) and Del Alston (43, 1979 Tugs) own the top stealing seasons in Tacoma's Triple-A history.
LOCAL GIG: Albuquerque's roster features Gig Harbor, WA native Michael Toglia, a Rockies top prospect at first base and Colorado's first round pick in 2019 out of UCLA (23rd overall selection). Toglia was promoted from Double-A Hartford to ABQ with a week to spare for his homecoming, on August 9; the switch hitter blasted a solo homer on that date at home against Reno, in his Triple-A debut. Toglia is 5-for-22 with two walks over his first six games of PCL action.
At the moment, three of Tacoma's final four home series of the season will have featured a local: Oakland A's INF Nate Mondou (Tacoma/Lake Tapps) was here last week with Las Vegas, and Round Rock INF Nick Tanielu (Federal Way) has spent this season with the top Texas Rangers farm club (at Tacoma Sept. 20-25). Federal Way's Janson Junk (LAA RHP) pitched his first career professional game at Cheney Stadium on April 5, when he started against the Rainiers on Opening Day.
GO DJ, THAT'S R DJ: Former Seattle Mariners first round draft pick D.J. Peterson (1B/3B) is returning to play a series at Cheney Stadium for the first time since 2017. Peterson, selected 12th overall in 2013, played in 153 games for Tacoma between 2015 and 2017 (103 in '17). A veteran of 810 Minor League games entering this series, Peterson has yet to appear in an MLB game. His season with the Isotopes is his second tour of duty in Albuquerque; he spent three years at the University of New Mexico, where during his junior season ('13), he was teammates with a freshman infielder- Sam Haggerty. Haggerty has appeared in 39 games for Tacoma this season, but none since his latest call-up on June 29.
TIM THE 'TOPE: Tacoma Rainiers first-year manager Tim Federowicz is managing against the club he appeared most with as a player. As a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate, Federowicz played in 239 games for Albuquerque between 2011 and 2014, while being summoned to the Majors in each of those four seasons, for a total of 89 games with L.A. Overall as an Isotope, he hit .320 (279-for-873) with 39 HR and 166 RBI, appearing in more games for ABQ than any other franchise during his 13-season playing career.
UNI WATCH: The 2022 Tacoma Rainiers have the following win-loss record by uniform top: White (16-15), red (17-23), navy blue (7-7), road grey (7-8), "Familia de Tacoma" (2-3, Copa de la Diversion), specialty auction (1-5).
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 15, 2022
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: 8/16/22 vs. ABQ (12:05 PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
- Reno Aces Return Home Tomorrow for Only Full Homestand in August - Reno Aces
- Orlando Martinez Named PCL Player of the Week - Salt Lake Bees
- Honoring Two Grandchildren's Legacies; a Local Grandfather Will be Recognized at August 19 Reno Aces Game - Reno Aces
- Justin Dirden Homers as Space Cowboys Close out Road Trip - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Dodgers Earn 20-3 Win Against Express - Oklahoma City Comets
- Chihuahuas Earn 13-5 win - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Dodgers Finish Weekend with 20-3 Victory over Express - Round Rock Express
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