PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Reno (6:35 p.m. PT)

Published on July 6, 2022 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


THREE'S COMPANY: Tacoma has had two individual three-homer games in their last three outings, after going just over seven years without one. When Brian O'Keefe hit three home runs on July 2 in a 5-4 (10) home win over Salt Lake, driving in all five Rainiers runs, he was the first to go yard thrice since Justin Ruggiano on 6/27/15 vs. El Paso at Cheney Stadium. O'Keefe enjoyed the distinction for fewer than 48 hours, as Zach Green teed off for three homers in four innings on July 4 at Reno (7 RBI), in an 11-4 victory. Green had Tacoma's first 7-RBI game since Chris Herrmann on 4/18/18, at home vs. Albuquerque. The only four-homer game in Tacoma's Triple-A history remains with Randy Bass, of the 1977 Tacoma Twins (6/9 at Phoenix).

HE'S AN O'K PLAYER: After hitting five homers during the recent weeklong series at home vs. Salt Lake, and two hits on Monday, Tacoma catcher/DH Brian O'Keefe has reached base with either a walk or base hit in 36 of the 41 games he's played this season, after returning from a broken hamate bone on April 27. O'Keefe is batting .303 with a .977 OPS (.383/.594), with 10 home runs, 23 extra-base hits and 19 walks since returning to action (25 RBI).

MEJIA MASH: Tacoma INF/OF Erick Mejia is 14-for-38 (.368) during his last nine games (2 HR, 5 doubles). Mejia is OPSing 1.063 during this span (dating to June 22), as he's slugging .658 over his last 42 plate appearances.

BING BONG BLANDINO: Rainiers infielder Alex Blandino has reached base safely in 20 of his last 22 games, dating to June 7. He's drawn 23 walks in that span, for an OBP of .473 and is batting .294 in this stretch with a 1.017 OPS and 14 runs scored (16 RBI). Blandino walked three times on July 4, and got two hits in the 11-4 win.

THE OPEN-R: After Monday's 11-4 win, Tacoma is 10-5 in series openers, accounting for 30.3% of their win total. That mark includes a 6-2 record on the road in lid-lifters, including their last two (May 31 and July 4) in the Biggest Little City.

COULDN'T ROLL ME A SEVEN: Despite the Rainiers winning the division by five games over second-place Reno last season, at 86-126 (.406) since 2009, the Aces are by far Tacoma's worst matchup over that span. The Rainiers have bucked the historical Reno trend recently however, and have won 16 of their last 25 games at Greater Nevada Field.

IN KEL'S KITCHEN: Tacoma outfielder Jarred Kelenic is batting .327 over his last 10 games, hitting safely in nine. His OPS is .924 (.353/.571) in that span (since June 22), thanks to six doubles and two home runs (10 RBI, 6 R). During a see-saw extra-inning affair vs. Salt Lake on June 29 at Cheney Stadium, he twice tied the game (in the 10th and 12th) with an RBI single in an eventual 6-5 Rainiers win in 12. Earlier this season, Kelenic compiled the longest Tacoma hit streak of 2022, 13 games between May 24 and June 8.

LEAD-R-BOARD: With four stolen bases in Sunday's 3-2 win over Salt Lake, Tacoma re-took the Triple-A lead in steals from Buffalo (102) and went over 100 on the season (104, with one on Monday). Rainiers outfielder Forrest Wall is third in the PCL in stolen bases, with 24. Tacoma's 110 home runs are tied for fifth-most in Triple-A.

#SeaUsRise: The selection of outfielder Marcus Wilson to Seattle's roster last Wednesday made him the 20th player to be promoted from Tacoma to Seattle this season; he made his MLB debut on Wednesday at T-Mobile Park against Baltimore, drawing a walk as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, and playing right field in the ninth (one putout). Two promotions earlier this season were also big league debuts (RHP Penn Murfee and LHP Danny Young). Last season, 24 players earned an in-season promotion from the Rainiers to Mariners, with six big league debuts (RHP Logan Gilbert, OF Jarred Kelenic, C Jose Godoy, OF Dillon Thomas, RHP Vinny Nittoli and RHP Darren McCaughan). Wilson's Major League debut came in his ninth professional season, following 660 minor league games with three organizations (Arizona, Boston and Seattle). He collected his first MLB hit in his first start (RF) on July 4 at San Diego, a single off of Sean Manaea in the 2nd inning.

SEA US DEFEND: Tacoma's 46 errors as a club are second-fewest in the PCL behind this week's opponent Reno (45), and are fourth-fewest of the 30 Triple-A clubs. In the Major Leagues, Seattle's 29 errors are fewest (by three), as the Mariners enjoy an off day on Tuesday.

UNI WATCH: The 2022 Tacoma Rainiers have the following win-loss record by uniform top: Home white (10-10), red (13-21), navy blue pullover (3-3), road grey (5-5), "La Familia de Tacoma" (2-2, Copa de la Diversion), specialty auction (0-4).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 6, 2022


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