PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at El Paso (5:35 PT)

June 22, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


The Rainiers are 0-10 on Thursday this season...more details below.

Tacoma Rainiers (34-37) at El Paso Chihuahuas (31-40)

Thursday, June 22, 2023, 5:35p.m. PT | Southwest University Park: El Paso, TX

RHP Darren McCaughan vs. LHP Jay Groome

#DarrenDay: 2023 is the fifth season in which right-hander Darren McCaughan has pitched for Tacoma. His 71st career start for the Rainiers will be this evening, placing him in a tie for seventh in franchise history with Juan Veintidos (1974-77 Tacoma Twins) and Ryan Franklin (1997-2001 Rainiers). Jim Hughes is sixth with 75 starts, for the 1973-74 and 1977 Tacoma Twins.

After striking out 25 batters during his three most recent outings (21.1 IP), McCaughan has 344 punchouts with the Rainiers, and enters today's game needing only two more to pass Scott Atchison for sixth in Tacoma's Triple-A history. Atchison struck out 345 between the 2000 and 2002-06 Rainiers, and appeared in nine Major League seasons from 2004-15 (SEA, SFG, BOS, NYM, CLE- 298 G, 346.2 IP).

THIRSTY FOR A WIN: In a true anomaly, the Rainiers are 0-10 on Thursday this season (0-5 road, 4/6 vs. Reno at home PPD, rain); six of those losses have been by two or fewer runs. Tacoma has twice been defeated in extra innings on Thursday (4/13 at Round Rock, 2-1 in 10 and 6/15 vs. Albuquerque, 10-8 in 12).

SPENT A MONTH THERE ONE NIGHT: The Rainiers are playing at El Paso for the first time since September 2021; on 9/18/21 they clinched the PCL Championship (née "Triple-A West") with a 7-3 win over the Chihuahuas. There were no Triple-A playoffs that year, canceled in the aftermath of a delayed Opening Day (COVID-19 pandemic- May 6). A 120-game regular season champion was crowned in lieu of a postseason, and it was Tacoma (73-47). It was the sixth championship in franchise history (since 1960), joining the '61 Giants, '69 Cubs, '78 Yankees, '01 Rainiers and '10 Rainiers.

In the ninth inning of the clincher on 9/18/21, Taylor Trammell tripled into the left field gap with the bases loaded, putting Tacoma ahead 6-3 en route to victory.

DOGGONE FAMILIAR: A pair of everyday players for El Paso had similar roles on the 2021 Tacoma championship team. Third baseman Jantzen Witte was named '21 Rainiers club MVP by the coaching staff and front office, batting .299 with 19 home runs over 105 GP; Witte hit .325 at Cheney Stadium that season. Outfielder Luis Liberato was Tacoma's Defensive Player of The Year in 2021, and made his Major League debut with San Diego last September (9/10 vs. LAD). Liberato also has the Rainiers' most recent pinch-hit home run (7/31/21 at Las Vegas).

El Paso INF Tim Lopes played for Tacoma for a lone season in 2019 (95 GP, .302, 10 HR, 26 SB). He's the most recent player to hit four doubles in a game for the Rainiers (4/20/19 at ABQ.)

A REAL MCCOY GOOD STRETCH: Rainiers infielder Mason McCoy has reached base safely in 21 of his last 23 games (since May 24). He's batting .329 during this stretch (28x85, 20 RBI) with 10 XBH (3 HR). McCoy's on base percentage during his last 23 games is .416 (.934 OPS), thanks to drawing 13 walks.

STEALY MAN: Mason McCoy's 19 stolen bases lead the Rainiers and are tied for fourth-most in the Pacific Coast League; he has yet to be caught stealing this season. McCoy is already threatening his career-high of 22 steals, with the 2022 Rainiers (124 GP). Cooper Hummel is tied for sixth in the PCL in swipes, with 17 (45 GP). Tacoma's 92 SB (22 CS, 80.70%) lead the league (3 teams have 88 SB). Last season, Tacoma led all of Triple-A (by 13), with a franchise record 205 stolen bases.

RISP-Y BUSINESS: With runners in scoring position, Tacoma is carrying the second-highest OPS (.909) and OBP (.411) among Triple-A clubs (Reno leads both). Tacoma's 51 home runs with at least one runner on are fourth-most in Triple-A (3rd in PCL; Las Vegas and Albuquerque).

HALFWAY HOME: As the final week of the first half continues, 13 players currently on Tacoma's active 28-man roster were on the opening day roster (3/31 @ OKC): RHPs Nolan Blackwood, Darren McCaughan, Riley O'Brien, Jose Rodriguez and Taylor Williams...LHPs Tommy Milone and Blake Weiman...INFs Mason McCoy, Colin Moran, Jake Scheiner and Pat Valaika...OF Zach DeLoach...catcher Brian O'Keefe. Five players on the Rainiers' opening day roster are currently on Seattle's 26-man MLB roster: LHP Gabe Speier (since 4/1), RHP Justin Topa (since 4/9), INF Jose Caballero (since 4/15), LHP Tayler Saucedo (since 4/18) and 1B/DH Mike Ford (since 6/2).

Check out the Tacoma Rainiers Statistics



Pacific Coast League Stories from June 22, 2023


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