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PCL Tacoma Rainiers

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

June 24, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tonight is the penultimate game of the Pacific Coast League's first half. Tacoma must win out to finish the half with a record over .500 (75 games).

Tacoma Rainiers (36-37) at El Paso Chihuahuas (31-42)

Saturday, June 24, 2023, 5:35p.m. PT | Southwest University Park: El Paso, TX

LHP Kyle Hart vs. RHP Angel Sanchez

LEAD-R-BOARD: With the official first half of the season in its final weekend, Rainiers INF Jake Scheiner is third in the PCL in home runs (18), RBI (60) and runs scored (56)...1B/C Cooper Hummel leads the PCL in walks (51) and has the fifth-highest OBP (.435)...Scheiner (43) and OF Zach DeLoach (42) also rank top 10 in PCL walks, as Tacoma leads all of Triple-A (*by 25*) with 421 (5.77 BB/game)...OF Cade Marlowe's six triples are tied for the league lead.

RHP Darren McCaughan has the seventh-most strikeouts in the PCL (61 K, 66.1 IP)...RHP Matt Festa leads Triple-A in saves, with 12 (13 SVO). In 22 games with Tacoma (26.0 IP), Festa's ERA is 0.69 (2 ER). Triple-A hitters are batting a meager .107 vs. Festa (0.73 WHIP), who has also appeared in six MLB games this season (6.2 IP).

TREY-LOR TRAMMELL: OF Taylor Trammell's three home runs (5 RBI) in Thursday's 8-6 victory was the fourth 3-HR game for the Rainiers in a calendar year. On April 21 of this season, also vs. El Paso (at Cheney Stadium), Mike Ford went yard 3x (8 RBI) in a 10-2 win. Twice in three days last July, Brian O'Keefe (7/2 vs. Salt Lake) and Zach Green (7/4 at Reno) each homered 3x in a pair of Tacoma wins.

Trammell, who was nearly a Chihuahua, was instead traded to Seattle by San Diego in the infamous seven-player deal on 8/31/20. In 15 career games against El Paso (since 2021), Trammell is a .368 hitter (21x57), with nine extra-base hits (5 HR) and 16 runs driven in.

RISP-Y BUSINESS: With runners in scoring position, Tacoma is carrying the second-highest OPS (.931) and OBP (.413) among Triple-A clubs (Reno leads both). Tacoma's 56 home runs with at least one runner on are tied for second-most in Triple-A with Las Vegas (Albuquerque, 57).

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).

During this series, Witte is 10x16 (.625), 6 XBH (3 HR), 2.022 OPS. Liberato is 5x13, 3 XBH (HR), 1.269 OPS, with an outfield assist on Tuesday.

A REAL MCCOY GOOD STRETCH: Rainiers infielder Mason McCoy has reached base safely in 23 of his last 25 games (since May 24). He's batting .319 during this stretch (30x94, 21 RBI) with 11 XBH (4 HR). McCoy's on base percentage during his last 25 games is .405 (.926 OPS), thanks to drawing 14 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 seventh in the PCL in swipes, with 18 (47 GP). Tacoma's 95 SB (22 CS, 81.20%) lead the league (Salt Lake, 93). Last season, Tacoma led all of Triple-A (by 13), with a franchise record 205 steals. The Rainiers have also allowed the most stolen bases in Triple-A (92, tied with Buffalo).

BIG FINISH: After dropping their first three series finales this season, the Rainiers have won seven of their last nine to conclude a set (primarily six-game series). Tacoma's 2023 combined record in fifth and sixth games of a series is 14-7 (7-4 on Sunday).

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