Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Reno (6:35 p.m. PT)
June 1, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma Rainiers (17-31) @ Reno Aces (26-23)
Wednesday, June 1, 2022, 6:35 p.m. PT | Greater Nevada Field: Reno, NV
RHP Darren McCaughan vs. RHP Drey Jameson
J-UP AROUND: Outfielder Justin Upton, the three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and veteran of 1,828 MLB games with Arizona, Atlanta, San Diego, Detroit and Los Angeles-AL, has been assigned to Tacoma's roster. An MLB promotion is imminent for the 34-year-old, after he signed with Seattle as a free agent on May 21.
Last season, Upton's only PCL action came in Tacoma at Cheney Stadium, while on a rehab assignment with Salt Lake (LAA). In two games (July 19-20), he went 1-for-7 with a walk and a solo homer to lead off the 7/19 game (off 2021 Rainiers Pitcher of the Year Logan Verrett). It was Upton's first Triple-A action since 2008 with Tucson (Arizona Dbacks); which is the current Reno Aces franchise. '08 was the final year of the Tucson Sidewinders before relocating.
RAISING KELL-NICK: Rainiers outfielder Jarred Kelenic enjoyed a red-hot 10-for-19 homestand from May 24-29, hitting safely in all five games with 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 walks and 7 runs. He's raised his average to .333 (17-for-51) in 12 games since being optioned to Tacoma on May 13. His OPS is 1.009 (.382/.627) since. Kelenic homered in consecutive games on May 27 & 29 vs. Las Vegas, and has doubled or tripled in three consecutive games entering today's action.
HE'S AN O'K PLAYER: After going 3-for-4 (triple, RBI, run) last night, Tacoma catcher Brian O'Keefe has reached base with either a walk or base hit in 17 of the 18 games he's played this season, after returning from a broken hamate bone on 4/27 at Las Vegas. O'Keefe is batting .339 with a 1.034 OPS (.452/.581), with two home runs and 12 walks since returning to action. This is his second season in the Seattle Mariners organization, a 2019 Rule 5 Draft selection (minor league phase) from the St. Louis Cardinals.
A TRIPLE-A RANKING: Of the 30 clubs at the highest level of Minor League Baseball, the Rainiers are second in stolen bases with 71 (Buffalo, 74), have hit the sixth-most home runs with 66 (Memphis leads with 78) and are one of 11 teams with at least 11 triples.
COULDN'T ROLL ME A SEVEN: Despite the Rainiers winning the division by five games over second-place Reno last season, at 83-123 (.403) since 2009, the Aces are by far Tacoma's worst matchup in that span. Last season, Tacoma posted a winning record at Greater Nevada Field for the first time, on their 12th try.
DARREN DAY: Tonight is Darren McCaughan's club-leading 10th start, and the Rainiers RHP is leading the PCL in innings pitched with 49.1, and is striking out just shy of a batter per inning (48 K, T-7th PCL). McCaughan will become the seventh to make 10 PCL starts this season.
HOT START: Tacoma is 5-0 in road series openers this season, accounting for 29.4% of their win total (4/12 at ABQ, 4/26 at Las Vegas, 5/3 at Salt Lake, 5/17 at SAC and 5/31 at Reno).
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: Last night for High-A Everett (Northwest League), RHP Juan Mercedes hurled the second seven-inning no-hitter in a week for the Seattle Mariners organization, in the second game at home at Funko Field against Eugene (SFG): 2 BB, 10 K. The 5-0 win was the first no-no in Everett's history, in their 2,060th regular season game. After beginning the season with Class A Modesto (1 G), Mercedes filled in on Tacoma's roster in April, making three appearances and a start (4/15 at ABQ), pitching 10.0 IP in his Triple-A debut before going into Everett's rotation (5 GS). On May 26 in the front end of a Double-A Arkansas home doubleheader against Amarillo (Texas League), RHP Connor Jones struck out eight and walked three without allowing a hit in a 6-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate.
A LOT OF BASEBALL TO BE PLAYED: At 17-31, Tacoma does not have the worst record in Triple-A entering today's action: They're two games better than 15-33 Syracuse (International League) and are equal to Louisville, also of the IL. At a .354 winning percentage, the Rainiers are a game better than a 100-loss pace, following the expansion to a 150-game schedule in Triple-A.
The most recent MiLB-affiliated team to lose 100 games was the 1996 Bakersfield Blaze of the then Class A-Advanced California League, who went 39-101. Managed by Yankees great Graig Nettles, that Bakersfield club was a co-op team, meaning they received players from 11 different organizations to fill out their roster over the course of the season, when such things were still allowed. The '96 Blaze lost their final 22 games of the year, still a Cal League record.
Pacific Coast League Stories from June 1, 2022
- McCaughan Battles, Rainiers Rack Four Homers in 6-5 Win at Reno - Tacoma Rainiers
- Johnson Homers, Beck Shines in Piggyback Role, as Late Big Fly Downs River Cats - Sacramento River Cats
- McCaughan Battles, Rainiers Rack Four Homers in 6-5 Win at Reno - Tacoma Rainiers
- Aces Fall Short in 6-5 Loss to Rainiers - Reno Aces
- Salt Lake Gets Past El Paso - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Salt Lake Holds off El Paso for Wednesday Night Victory - Salt Lake Bees
- Korey Lee Sparks Space Cowboys Win - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Space Cowboys Clip Isotopes, 6-3 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Express Earn First Shutout of the Year, Beat Dodgers 4-0 - Round Rock Express
- OKC Dodgers Blanked 4-0 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Space Cowboys Game Notes vs. ABQ - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Reno (6:35 p.m. PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - June 1, 2022 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Chihuahuas to Host Nickelodeon Night; Players to Wear SpongeBob Square Pants Jerseys - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Tacoma Quiets Reno, 3-2 on Tuesday - Tacoma Rainiers
- Dean, Villar Homer in River Cats' Heartbreaking Extra-Innings Defeat at Las Vegas - Sacramento River Cats
- Tacoma Quiets Reno, 3-2 on Tuesday - Tacoma Rainiers
- Henry Spins Gem in Reno's 3-2 Loss to Tacoma - Reno Aces
- Dodgers Open Series with 8-0 Shutout of Express - Round Rock Express
- Corey Julks Provides Grand Slam in Space Cowboys Victory - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- OKC Dodgers Postgame Nots - May 31, 2022 - Oklahoma City Comets
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