PCL Tacoma Rainiers

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

Published on April 28, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers (13-10) @ Las Vegas Aviators (11-13)

Friday, April 28, 2023, 7:05p.m. PT | Las Vegas Ballpark: Summerlin, NV

RHP Darren McCaughan vs. RHP Colin Peluse

#DarrenDay: 2023 is the fifth season in which right-hander Darren McCaughan has pitched for Tacoma. His 63rd career start for the Rainiers tonight gives him the 14th-most in Tacoma's Triple-A history (since 1960); his 64th would tie Chris Seddon (2009-11) and Andrew Carraway (2012-14) for 12th. The Rainiers are 3-0 with the 27-year-old on the hill this year; McCaughan did not pitch for Tacoma between April 7-22, after being selected to Seattle's Major League roster on 4/12 (optioned on 4/18).

WHAT A BUNCH OF HOMERS: Tacoma's 36 home runs are sixth-most in Triple-A and fourth in the PCL, but the Rainiers make them count. 25 homers have come with men on base (one grand slam, eight 3-run, 16 two-run). Tacoma has already had five individual 2-HR efforts this year, and four in the last 10 days (Brian O'Keefe on 4/2 & Tuesday, Jake Scheiner on 4/18 & Wednesday, and Jacob Nottingham on 4/19).

YOU DOWN WITH OBP?: Tacoma ranks second in Triple-A with a .404 team on-base percentage (Reno at .405 beat Sugar Land 24-2 last night, with 19 hits). Tacoma's 161 walks in 23 games (7.0/game) also lead the level, by *14* (El Paso, 147). Tacoma's .896 club OPS is second in the PCL, only to Reno (.904). The Iowa Cubs (IL) are pacing Triple-A with a .909 OPS.

IT'S BEEN DRIVEN BY FORD, LATELY: In large part to his 3-homer, 8-RBI (career-high) game last Friday vs. El Paso, Mike Ford sits atop the PCL leaderboard with 33 RBI already (21 GP); Las Vegas's Cody Thomas is second (29). Ford is slugging a robust .688 with a 1.107 OPS and seven homers (2-run HR last night). Ford's career-high 86 RBI came in 2017, over 126 games between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (New York-AL org).

BRIAN O'FFENSE: Tacoma catcher/DH Brian O'Keefe has reached base safely in 15 of his 17 games thus far. O'Keefe is tied for second in the PCL in home runs with teammate Jake Scheiner (8), and is second in the league in slugging (.725) with a 1.145 OPS (6th). His 50 total bases lead the Rainiers (T-8th in PCL).

O'Keefe made his MLB debut at the tail end of last season on 10/1, as the 29th and final Tacoma to Seattle promotion of 2022. His first Major League hit was a single off Oakland LHP JP Sears at T-Mobile Park (10/1), who made one start last season for Las Vegas.

JORDAN RULES: Mason McCoy (21-SS, 2-2B) and Jake Scheiner (10-LF, 6-1B, 4-RF, 3-3B) remain the only Rainiers to date to start all 23 games this season. Scheiner has finished all 23.

ET TU BB?: Tacoma infielder Cesar Hernandez already has four 3-BB games this year, is sporting a .489 OBP (20 GP), and leads all of Triple-A (by five) with 28 walks. Hernandez aims for a MLB return where he's a veteran of 1,186 GP since 2013 with Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago-AL and Washington; he won the 2020 AL Gold Glove for a second baseman, with Cleveland.

VIVA: The Rainiers went 10-14 against Las Vegas last season (6-6 on the road), but lead the all-time series 295-291 (since 1983). There are now five current PCL locales that the Tacoma Triple-A franchise (est. 1960) has an all-time non-losing record against: Salt Lake (378-364-1, since 1960), Round Rock (52-33, since 2005), El Paso (61-59, since 2014) and Oklahoma City (85-85, since 1963). Tacoma is 18-17 all-time at the still new "Las Vegas Ballpark" (since 2019).

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?: 13-10 Tacoma's +31 run differential leads the PCL (by 5) entering today's action. This despite a 19-4 home loss to Reno on 4/8 (only loss of that series). The top two records in the league are +26 (Oklahoma City, 18-6) and +18 (Round Rock, 15-8). Sacramento is +9 in runs, despite being 10-14. Las Vegas is +2, despite being 11-13. Sugar Land (8-15) holds the PCL's worst run differential at -53, the circuit's worst by *36*...they suffered a 24-2 loss at Reno last night.

RILEY ZERO'BRIEN: After another scoreless inning with a strikeout on Tuesday, Rainiers right-hander Riley O'Brien has fired 7.1 shutout IP over his five most recent appearances, allowing only four hits and a lone walk, while striking out 14. This stretch includes a save on 4/18 vs. El Paso at Cheney Stadium, when he inherited the bases loaded but ended an 11-7 Tacoma win with a strikeout. O'Brien also helped pitch the Rainiers to two "bullpen day" victories at Round Rock on 4/12 and 4/15, spinning 2.0 shutout IP each time as the opener, with four strikeouts and zero walks in each outing as well (3 total hits).

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