PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Las Vegas (7:05 PT)

Published on April 28, 2022 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers (6-14) @ Las Vegas Aviators (10-10)

Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7:05 p.m. PT | Las Vegas Ballpark: Summerlin, NV

RHP Darren McCaughan vs. RHP Adrian Martinez

OUT OF LUCK: In a game that featured four lead changes, this series was evened at a game apiece on Wednesday. The 6-5 setback came despite a trio of three-hit games for Tacoma, including the return of catcher Brian O'Keefe to the lineup from a hand injury that had sidelined him since spring training (3-for-4, triple, BB).

Billy Hamilton (3-for-4, 2 SB, 2 R), Forrest Wall (3-for-4, double, RBI, SB) and Sam Haggerty (2-for-4, 2 RBI) also had multiple hits for the Rainiers.

As "opener," LHP Roenis Elias ended up working 3.0 innings (3 K), and stranded the bases loaded in the second after walking in a run (46 pitches).

In a four-run Las Vegas fifth, Tacoma native Nate Mondou ripped an RBI double. Oakland A's top catching prospect Shea Langeliers hit the game's only home run later in the inning, a two-run shot with two out.

In a game that featured 11 total pitchers between the clubs, Aviators LHP Sam Selman struck out two in the ninth to notch his first save of the season, stranding O'Keefe's third hit of the night at first base.

R SPEED: The Rainiers have stolen 40 bases in 20 games, and lead all of Triple-A in steals by *13*; Buffalo (Toronto), Indianapolis (Pittsburgh) and Omaha (Kansas City) of the International League are tied for second with 27 apiece. Caught only five times as a club so far, the Rainiers are stealing bases at an 89% success rate while swiping two bags per game. Tacoma outfielder Forrest Wall leads the PCL outright in steals, after his ninth theft last night.

Rainiers infielders Sam Haggerty and Erick Mejia are tied for third on the circuit, two behind Wall, with seven steals apiece.

ODOMETER: Rainiers catcher Joe Odom's four home runs tie him for eighth in the PCL, and his .580 slugging percentage ranks him seventh in the league coming into today's action.

THEY DIG THE...WALK?: In winning Tuesday's game by drawing 10 walks, Tacoma snapped an 11-game home run streak as a club, in one of the PCL's more hitter-friendly environments. Tacoma's longest homer streak last season was 20 games, May 21 through June 14. The Rainiers didn't homer last night either; they have yet to go three games without one this season.

CAL RAKES: Catcher Cal Raleigh was optioned to Tacoma on Thursday. He compiled the longest hitting streak for Tacoma last season, 23 games between May 15 and June 17. Raleigh batted .396 during the streak with 20 XBH (6 HR), 22 RBI and 22 runs while OPSing 1.170 (.430/.740).

ANOTHA ONE: While the Rainiers currently have three Seattle-area locals on their roster, Las Vegas infielder Nate Mondou is Tacoma-born, a graduate of Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, and a resident of Lake Tapps, WA.

Mondou, the Oakland Athletics' 13th round draft pick in 2016 following three seasons at Wake Forest University, is in his sixth professional season (excluding 2020, DNP) and his second at Triple-A, after spending all of last season with the Aviators. Mondou joins Rainiers outfielders Steven Souza (Everett, Cascade High School) and Stuart Fairchild (Seattle, Seattle Prep) as well as Tacoma RHP Riley O'Brien (Seattle/Shoreline, Shorewood High School) as Puget Sound natives in this series. Mondou and Fairchild were teammates at Wake Forest for two seasons (2015-2016).

Against Tacoma last season, Mondou batted .242 (15-for-62) in 17 games, with three home runs, three doubles, eight walks, 14 runs scored and seven RBI, with a .777 OPS (.342/.435). Mondou played in all but one game against his hometown club in 2021.

HAPPY FLIGHT: Las Vegas is one of three current PCL member cities that the Tacoma franchise (est. 1960) has an all-time winning record against (285-276, since 1983); the others are Salt Lake (365-353-1, since 1960) and Round Rock (44-26, since 2005).

During the Rainiers era and Seattle Mariners affiliation (since 1995), Tacoma is 207-180 against Las Vegas and their various nicknames and MLB affiliations. The Tacoma Tigers (Oakland A's) were 78-96 against Las Vegas from 1981 through 1994.

Check out the Tacoma Rainiers Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 28, 2022


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